Comparison of Divisions: Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill — 23 Nov 2005 at 18:48 with Division No. 104 on 29 Apr 2009 at 15:49
(Swap the two divisions around).
Question put, That the amendment be made:-
The House divided: Ayes 258, Noes 313.
The majority of MPs voted in favour of the motion:[1]
-
This House
-
regrets the Government's recent statement[2] outlining the eligibility criteria for Gurkhas to reside in the United Kingdom;
-
recognises the contribution the Gurkhas have made to the safety and freedom of the United Kingdom for the past 200 years;
-
notes that more Gurkhas have laid down their lives for the United Kingdom than are estimated to want to live here;
-
believes that Gurkhas who retired before 1997 should be treated fairly and in the same way as those who have retired since;
-
is concerned that the Government's new guidelines will permit only a small minority of Gurkhas and their families to settle whilst preventing the vast majority;
-
further believes that people who are prepared to fight and die for the United Kingdom should be entitled to live in the country; and
-
calls upon the Government to withdraw its new guidelines immediately and bring forward revised proposals that extend an equal right of residence to all Gurkhas.
As a consequence, the alternative Government motion, which read:[3]
-
This House
-
recognises that this Government is the only one since the Second World War to allow Gurkhas and their families settlement rights to the United Kingdom;
-
notes that in 2004 the Government permitted settlement rights to Gurkhas discharged since 1997, following the transfer of the Brigade HQ from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom;
-
further notes that under these rules around 6,000 Gurkhas and family members have been welcomed to the UK;
-
acknowledges that the court judgement of September 2008 determined that the 1997 cut-off date was fair and rational, while seeking clarification of the criteria for settlement rights for those who retired before 1997;
-
further notes that on 24 April the Government published new and more generous guidelines for the settlement applications of Gurkhas who retired before 1997;
-
supports this revised guidance, which will make around 10,000 Gurkhas and family members eligible to settle in the UK;
-
further notes that the Government undertakes actively to inform those who may be eligible in Nepal of these changes and to review the impact of the new guidance within 12 months;
-
further notes that the contribution Gurkhas have made is already recognised by pensions paid to around 25,000 Gurkhas or their widows in Nepal that allow for a good standard of living there; and
-
further notes that in the year 2000 Gurkha pensions were doubled and that, earlier in April 2009, in addition to an inflationary uplift of 14 per cent., those over 80 years old received a 20 per cent. increase in their pension.
... was never voted upon.
Although this extremely rare Government defeat in an opposition day motion is not binding (has no legal force)[4] a Government minister made a statement later in the day to bring "forward the date for the determination of the outstanding applications to the end of May."[5]
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MPs for which their vote on Motion (a) differed from their vote on Motion (b).
You can also see just opposite votes
between these two divisions,
or simply all the votes.
Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote (a) | Vote (b)
Name | Constituency | Party | Vote (a) | Vote (b) |
Diane Abbott | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | Lab | no |
aye |
Michael Ancram | Devizes | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
James Arbuthnot | North East Hampshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Austin | Erith and Thamesmead | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Adrian Bailey | West Bromwich West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John Battle | Leeds West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Margaret Beckett | Derby South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Stuart Bell | Middlesbrough | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Brian Binley | Northampton South | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Borrow | South Ribble | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Tim Boswell | Daventry | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Ben Bradshaw | Exeter | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Colin Breed | South East Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gordon Brown | Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Chris Bryant | Rhondda | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Karen Buck | Regent's Park and Kensington North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Richard Burden | Birmingham, Northfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Colin Burgon | Elmet | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Stephen Byers | North Tyneside | Lab | no |
absent |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Cameron | Witney | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ronnie Campbell | Blyth Valley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alistair Carmichael | Orkney and Shetland | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Martin Caton | Gower | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Ian Cawsey | Brigg and Goole | Lab (minister) | tellno |
aye |
Michael Clapham | Barnsley West and Penistone | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
James Clappison | Hertsmere | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Katy Clark | North Ayrshire and Arran | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Charles Clarke | Norwich South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Kenneth Clarke | Rushcliffe | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Harry Cohen | Leyton and Wanstead | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Derek Conway | Old Bexley and Sidcup | whilst Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Frank Cook | Stockton North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | no |
aye |
David Crausby | Bolton North East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jon Cruddas | Dagenham | Lab | no |
absent |
Claire Curtis-Thomas | Crosby | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Dai Davies | Blaenau Gwent | Independent | absent |
aye |
Quentin Davies | Grantham and Stamford | whilst Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Quentin Davies | Grantham and Stamford | whilst Lab (front bench) | absent |
no |
Jim Dobbin | Heywood and Middleton | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alan Duncan | Rutland and Melton | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Bill Etherington | Sunderland North | Lab | no |
absent |
Nigel Evans | Ribble Valley | Con | aye |
absent |
Paul Farrelly | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Mark Fisher | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Lab | no |
aye |
Paul Flynn | Newport West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Eric Forth | Bromley and Chislehurst | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Liam Fox | Woodspring | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Hywel Francis | Aberavon | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Mike Gapes | Ilford South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Bruce George | Walsall South | Lab | absent |
no |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Ian Gibson | Norwich North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Sandra Gidley | Romsey | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Linda Gilroy | Plymouth, Sutton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Roger Godsiff | Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath | Lab | no |
absent |
James Gray | North Wiltshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
John Greenway | Ryedale | Con | aye |
absent |
John Gummer | Suffolk Coastal | Con | absent |
aye |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Patrick Hall | Bedford | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Hamilton | Midlothian | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Mike Hancock | Portsmouth South | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Tom Harris | Glasgow South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Dai Havard | Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Oliver Heald | North East Hertfordshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Heathcoat-Amory | Wells | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Doug Henderson | Newcastle upon Tyne North | Lab | no |
absent |
David Heyes | Ashton-under-Lyne | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Meg Hillier | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Margaret Hodge | Barking | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Adam Holloway | Gravesham | Con | absent |
aye |
Jimmy Hood | Lanark and Hamilton East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Geoff Hoon | Ashfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Kelvin Hopkins | Luton North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
John Horam | Orpington | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Stewart Hosie | Dundee East | SNP (front bench) | aye |
absent |
John Howell | Henley | Con | absent |
aye |
Joan Humble | Blackpool North and Fleetwood | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Eric Illsley | Barnsley Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Michael Jack | Fylde | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Glenda Jackson | Hampstead and Highgate | Lab | no |
aye |
Siân James | Swansea East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Brian Jenkins | Tamworth | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Boris Johnson | Henley | Con | aye |
absent |
Lynne Jones | Birmingham, Selly Oak | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Martyn Jones | Clwyd South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Ann Keen | Brentford and Isleworth | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Paul Keetch | Hereford | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Charles Kennedy | Ross, Skye and Lochaber | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Robert Key | Salisbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Piara S Khabra | Ealing, Southall | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Peter Kilfoyle | Liverpool, Walton | Lab | no |
absent |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Ashok Kumar | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Lancaster | North East Milton Keynes | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew Lansley | South Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Martin Linton | Battersea | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Peter Luff | Mid Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew MacKinlay | Thurrock | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Angus MacNeil | Na h-Eileanan an Iar | SNP (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Khalid Mahmood | Birmingham, Perry Barr | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Humfrey Malins | Woking | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Judy Mallaber | Amber Valley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John Mann | Bassetlaw | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John Maples | Stratford-on-Avon | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Gordon Marsden | Blackpool South | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
David Marshall | Glasgow East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Robert Marshall-Andrews | Medway | Lab | no |
aye |
Eric Martlew | Carlisle | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Mason | Glasgow East | SNP | absent |
aye |
Michael Mates | East Hampshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Francis Maude | Horsham | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Chris McCafferty | Calder Valley | Lab | no |
absent |
Ian McCartney | Makerfield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Alasdair McDonnell | Belfast South | SDLP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Martin McDonnell | Hayes and Harlington | Lab | no |
aye |
Anne McGuire | Stirling | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Shona McIsaac | Cleethorpes | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Michael Meacher | Oldham West and Royton | Lab | no |
absent |
Alan Meale | Mansfield | Lab | no |
absent |
David Miliband | South Shields | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Lab | no |
absent |
Andrew Miller | Ellesmere Port and Neston | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Austin Mitchell | Great Grimsby | Lab | no |
absent |
Anne Moffat | East Lothian | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Julie Morgan | Cardiff North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Malcolm Moss | North East Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Kali Mountford | Colne Valley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Mundell | Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Jim Murphy | East Renfrewshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Bob Neill | Bromley and Chislehurst | Con | absent |
aye |
Edward O'Hara | Knowsley South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Oaten | Winchester | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Lembit Öpik | Montgomeryshire | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Sandra Osborne | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Ian Paisley | North Antrim | DUP (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Nick Palmer | Broxtowe | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Owen Paterson | North Shropshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Con | aye |
absent |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Independent | absent |
aye |
Greg Pope | Hyndburn | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Steve Pound | Ealing North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Bridget Prentice | Lewisham East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Gordon Prentice | Pendle | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Dawn Primarolo | Bristol South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Bill Rammell | Harlow | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nick Raynsford | Greenwich and Woolwich | Lab | no |
aye |
Andy Reed | Loughborough | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Jamie Reed | Copeland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John Reid | Airdrie and Shotts | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Willie Rennie | Dunfermline and West Fife | LDem | absent |
aye |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
John Robertson | Glasgow North West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Iris Robinson | Strangford | DUP | aye |
absent |
Andrew Rosindell | Romford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Rowen | Rochdale | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Lindsay Roy | Glenrothes | Lab | absent |
no |
Alex Salmond | Banff and Buchan | SNP (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Martin Salter | Reading West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Virendra Sharma | Ealing, Southall | Lab | absent |
no |
Clare Short | Birmingham, Ladywood | whilst Lab | no |
absent |
Alan Simpson | Nottingham South | Lab | no |
aye |
David Simpson | Upper Bann | DUP (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Marsha Singh | Bradford West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | no |
aye |
Geraldine Smith | Morecambe and Lunesdale | Lab | absent |
no |
John Smith | Vale of Glamorgan | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nicholas Soames | Mid Sussex | Con | absent |
aye |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Stanley | Tonbridge and Malling | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Jack Straw | Blackburn | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Gisela Stuart | Birmingham, Edgbaston | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Taylor | North West Leicestershire | Lab (minister) | no |
both |
Gareth Thomas | Harrow West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Edward Timpson | Crewe and Nantwich | Con | absent |
aye |
Paddy Tipping | Sherwood | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | no |
aye |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab | absent |
aye |
Rudi Vis | Finchley and Golders Green | Lab | no |
absent |
Robert Walter | North Dorset | Con | aye |
absent |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Independent | absent |
aye |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Lab | no |
absent |
Michael Weir | Angus | SNP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Betty Williams | Conwy | Lab | no |
absent |
Mark Williams | Ceredigion | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Roger Williams | Brecon and Radnorshire | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Wilshire | Spelthorne | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Phil Wilson | Sedgefield | Lab | absent |
no |
Mike Wood | Batley and Spen | Lab | no |
aye |
Shaun Woodward | St Helens South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Anthony D Wright | Great Yarmouth | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Richard Younger-Ross | Teignbridge | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
The measure of similarity between these two divisions is a calculation
based on a comparison of their votes.
There were
646 MPs who could have voted in both of these divisions,
and 436 voted the same way, with 27 voting in opposite ways.
There were 27 MPs who didn't vote in either division,
and 156 who voted in only one of them.
We invert the vote on the second division if it makes the distance closer (since the meaning of
'Aye' and 'No' are often interchangeable depending on how the question was put).
In this case, they line up the same way.
An 's vote in in only one of the divisions contributes a factor of 0.2 to the distance.
The calculation runs as follows:
ratio =
[same-votes]
([same-votes] + [differing-votes] + 0.2x[abstain-in-one])
=
436
(436 + 27 + 0.2x156)
=
436
494.2
=
0.882
=
88.2 %.