Jeremy Corbyn refuses to bow to Queen at state opening
The Labour leader is a lifelong Republican and has refused to follow parliamentary protocol in the past.
Jeremy Corbyn refused to bow to the Queen as he entered the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament. The Labour leader stayed upright as Theresa May and other MPs bowed their heads in respect.
It is not the first time Corbyn, who is a lifelong Republican, has refused to follow parliamentary protocol related to the royal family. When he was sworn in as a member of the privy council in November 2015, he did not kneel before the Queen.
The ceremony on 21 June saw the monarch unveil the new government's legislative programme. A string of key Conservative election pledges were axed from the Queen's Speech, including the so called 'dementia tax' and fox hunting.
The speech was dominated by Brexit legislation, including the government's pledge to deliver a Trade and Customs Bill that would allow Britain to conduct its own trade policy with the EU once it has left the customs union. There was no mention of specific counter-terrorism legislation, only a promise that the government would review its laws after a series of terror attacks in recent weeks.
Donald Trump's visit to the UK was noticeably omitted from the speech, prompting speculation that the US president may have postponed his trip fearing that he would be met by mass protests.
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