Last year, the Tories broke convention and for the first time voted against the whole package instead of proposing amendments.

If they do so again, Paddy Ashdown's party are likely also to vote against it on Tuesday night.

Paddy Ashdown faces internal criticism

The decision was taken last week at meetings of Liberal Democrat MPs, reportedly against Mr Ashdown's wishes.

The party's MPs will propose their own amendment, setting out what they would have liked to have seen in the speech.

Having tabled a critical amendment, sources said, joining the Tories in an outright vote - if there is one - against the whole package is the only consistent thing to do.

The Tories are expected to propose their own amendment, which has no hope of being passed, and then to force a vote on the government's motion backing the speech itself.

Anger at bills left out

The party voted with the government over its first Queen's Speech after last year's General Election.

But this time, Liberal Democrat MPs are unhappy at certain omissions from the speech, such as a freedom of information bill and preparations for joining a single currency.

Mr Ashdown has faced internal criticism since announcing closer co-operation with the government two weeks ago.

A party spokesman said: "Several members of the parliamentary party take the view that it would be better to abstain, and that includes the leadership, which goes wider than Paddy.

"But the parliamentary party take their decisions democratically and this was an overwhelming decision."

The choice had been abstention or opposition. None of the MPs had wanted to vote for the package, said the spokesman.

The spokesman said: "The decision isn't a big deal as far as we are concerned but it shows we would choose this opportunity to register our dissatisfaction with what's not in the Queen's Speech".

Mr Ashdown branded the speech a "timid" package last week.