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Day of Rage protests - live updates: Hundreds march on Downing Street demanding Theresa May quits

Follows slimmed-down Queen's Speech as Tories struggle to secure majority needed to pass legislation

Benjamin Kentish,Maya Oppenheim
Wednesday 21 June 2017 18:18 BST
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Queen's Speech in 90 seconds

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Hundreds of protesters are marching from west London to Parliament calling for Theresa May to resign over her handling of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The demonstration comes as the Queen delivered the 2017 Queen's Speech, which Conservative sources have told The Independent could be Theresa May's first and last as Prime Minister.

As the Prime Minister struggles to cobble together a parliamentary majority, there was no mention of many of the Tories’ key manifesto pledges.

Plans to axe universal free school meals, scrap the triple lock on pensions and lift the ban on new grammar schools now all seem likely to be ditched.

Instead, the speech focused on Brexit, with the Prime Minister under mounting pressure to abandon her plans for a hard Brexit that could result in Britain leaving the EU without a trade deal.

Other measures include new laws to improve protections of domestic violence, protect private renters from irresponsible landlords, tackle extremist ideologies, and protect people's online data.

The Government will also act to reduce motor insurance premiums and lower energy prices. The National Living Wage will be raised.

The speech included no mention of Donald Trump's scheduled state visit, fuelling reports that it may not happen. The US President is reported to be concerned about public protests in the UK should he visit.

Theresa May's Queen's Speech 'will be her first and last', Tories admit, as PM proposes plan filled with U-turns

Queen's Speech could be delivered without majority as Theresa May's DUP talks falter

Thousands to march on Downing Street in bid to 'bring down' Theresa May's government

Queen's Speech scaled back as Theresa May's legislative agenda unveiled amid uncertainty

Tory-DUP deal thrown into fresh doubt as deputy PM Damian Green says agreement only a 'possibility'

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 14:29

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 14:30

In the Commons, MPs are holding a minute's silence for Grenfell Tower victims and the mosque attack in Finsbury Park

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 14:31

Back at the Day of Rage, Nicola, a 41-year-old carer for her mum, who lives in the borough or Hammersmith and Fulham, which neighbours Kensington and Chelsea, is marching proudly on her own.

I live in a council house and Grenfell is all of us. None of us know when life will be taken from us.

Warwick University student Mustapha, 20, who grew up near to the charred tower, said:

The people in Grenfell died because of gentrification in the area. The council put minimal effort into regenerating the tower, they basically  didn't even try. Kensington is one of the richest boroughs in the whole of the UK but it is also emblematic of a tale of two cities. South Ken might be rich but north Ken is massively deprived.

Laura Sothern, a Unite community campaigner who lives 15 minutes from Grenfell, said:

We're going to work hard to offer mental health support for the children and the parents. There are children who have been orphaned by it and there are parents who have lost their children. This is absolutely horrific. I am going to be thinking about the images of people in that tower block burning to death for the rest of my life. To me that is more than neglect.

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 14:34

Protesters have now reached central London and are surrounded by open top tour buses and bemused tourists snapping photos as they march on towards Parliament. Numbers are expected to increase as more people get out of work and tag on

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 14:44

In the Commons, former environment minister and MP for Newbury, Richard Benyon, is giving a lengthy opening speech as his colleagues prepare to debate the contents of the Queen's Speech

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 14:46

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 14:54

Jeremy Corbyn is giving his response to the Queen's Speech. He begins by saying every death at Grenfell Tower could have been avoided and that people are entitled to answers about what went wrong. Moving on to recent terrorist attacks in Manchester, London Bridge and Finsbury Park, he says the attack outside Finsbury Park mosque shows "hate has no creed and violence has no religion".

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 15:03

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 15:05

Kristin Hugo21 June 2017 15:05

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