Comparison of Divisions: Opposition Day — [15th Allotted Day] — Management of the National Health Service — 9 May 2006 at 21:45 with Division No. 104 on 29 Apr 2009 at 15:49
(Swap the two divisions around).
Question accordingly negatived.
Question, That the proposed words be there added, put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 31 (Questions on amendments):-
The House divided: Ayes 302, Noes 232.
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 inverted 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 | aye |
aye |
Michael Ancram | Devizes | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Adrian Bailey | West Bromwich West | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Vera Baird | Redcar | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Norman Baker | Lewes | LDem | absent |
aye |
John Battle | Leeds West | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Hugh Bayley | City of York | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Margaret Beckett | Derby South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne Begg | Aberdeen South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Alan Beith | Berwick-upon-Tweed | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Hilary Benn | Leeds Central | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Paul Beresford | Mole Valley | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Brian Binley | Northampton South | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Tim Boswell | Daventry | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Peter Bottomley | Worthing West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Kevin Brennan | Cardiff West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Gordon Brown | Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Karen Buck | Regent's Park and Kensington North | Lab | aye |
absent |
Richard Burden | Birmingham, Northfield | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Colin Burgon | Elmet | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
David Burrowes | Enfield, Southgate | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Butterfill | Bournemouth West | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Stephen Byers | North Tyneside | Lab | aye |
absent |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
David Cameron | Witney | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ronnie Campbell | Blyth Valley | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Alistair Carmichael | Orkney and Shetland | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Martin Caton | Gower | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Ian Cawsey | Brigg and Goole | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
Michael Clapham | Barnsley West and Penistone | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
James Clappison | Hertsmere | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Katy Clark | North Ayrshire and Arran | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Charles Clarke | Norwich South | Lab | aye |
absent |
Kenneth Clarke | Rushcliffe | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Ann Clwyd | Cynon Valley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Harry Cohen | Leyton and Wanstead | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Frank Cook | Stockton North | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | aye |
aye |
Stephen Crabb | Preseli Pembrokeshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jon Cruddas | Dagenham | Lab | aye |
absent |
Ian Davidson | Glasgow South West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Dai Davies | Blaenau Gwent | Independent | absent |
aye |
Quentin Davies | Grantham and Stamford | whilst Lab (front bench) | absent |
no |
David Davis | Haltemprice and Howden | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Jim Dobbin | Heywood and Middleton | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Frank Dobson | Holborn and St Pancras | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Bill Etherington | Sunderland North | Lab | aye |
absent |
Nigel Evans | Ribble Valley | Con | no |
absent |
Paul Farrelly | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Frank Field | Birkenhead | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Mark Fisher | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Lab | absent |
aye |
Paul Flynn | Newport West | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Michael Jabez Foster | Hastings and Rye | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
Ian Gibson | Norwich North | Lab | aye |
absent |
Sandra Gidley | Romsey | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Roger Godsiff | Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath | Lab | aye |
absent |
Julia Goldsworthy | Falmouth and Camborne | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
James Gray | North Wiltshire | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Justine Greening | Putney | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Greenway | Ryedale | Con | no |
absent |
William Hague | Richmond (Yorks) | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Patrick Hall | Bedford | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Philip Hammond | Runnymede and Weybridge | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Hancock | Portsmouth South | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Oliver Heald | North East Hertfordshire | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Doug Henderson | Newcastle upon Tyne North | Lab | aye |
absent |
David Heyes | Ashton-under-Lyne | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Meg Hillier | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Margaret Hodge | Barking | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Kate Hoey | Vauxhall | Lab | aye |
aye |
Douglas Hogg | Sleaford and North Hykeham | Con | absent |
aye |
Adam Holloway | Gravesham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Geoff Hoon | Ashfield | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Kelvin Hopkins | Luton North | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
John Horam | Orpington | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Michael Howard | Folkestone and Hythe | Con | absent |
aye |
John Howell | Henley | Con | absent |
aye |
Kim Howells | Pontypridd | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Lindsay Hoyle | Chorley | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Christopher Huhne | Eastleigh | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Joan Humble | Blackpool North and Fleetwood | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Eric Illsley | Barnsley Central | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Michael Jack | Fylde | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Glenda Jackson | Hampstead and Highgate | Lab | absent |
aye |
Siân James | Swansea East | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Boris Johnson | Henley | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
David Jones | Clwyd West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Lynne Jones | Birmingham, Selly Oak | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Martyn Jones | Clwyd South | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Jane Kennedy | Liverpool, Wavertree | Lab | absent |
no |
Piara S Khabra | Ealing, Southall | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Sadiq Khan | Tooting | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Ashok Kumar | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
David Lammy | Tottenham | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Laws | Yeovil | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ivan Lewis | Bury South | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Martin Linton | Battersea | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Peter Luff | Mid Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
John MacDougall | Glenrothes | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Andrew MacKinlay | Thurrock | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Denis MacShane | Rotherham | Lab | aye |
absent |
Khalid Mahmood | Birmingham, Perry Barr | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Anne Main | St Albans | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Humfrey Malins | Woking | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Judy Mallaber | Amber Valley | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
John Mann | Bassetlaw | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
John Maples | Stratford-on-Avon | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Gordon Marsden | Blackpool South | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
Robert Marshall-Andrews | Medway | Lab | absent |
aye |
John Mason | Glasgow East | SNP | absent |
aye |
Michael Mates | East Hampshire | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Francis Maude | Horsham | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Chris McCafferty | Calder Valley | Lab | aye |
absent |
Ian McCartney | Makerfield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
William McCrea | South Antrim | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Alasdair McDonnell | Belfast South | SDLP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Martin McDonnell | Hayes and Harlington | Lab | aye |
aye |
Anne McGuire | Stirling | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Shona McIsaac | Cleethorpes | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
Michael Meacher | Oldham West and Royton | Lab | aye |
absent |
Alan Meale | Mansfield | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Anne Moffat | East Lothian | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Julie Morgan | Cardiff North | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
Malcolm Moss | North East Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Kali Mountford | Colne Valley | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
David Mundell | Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Bob Neill | Bromley and Chislehurst | Con | absent |
aye |
Edward O'Hara | Knowsley South | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Lembit Öpik | Montgomeryshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Nick Palmer | Broxtowe | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
Owen Paterson | North Shropshire | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Con | no |
absent |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Independent | absent |
aye |
John Penrose | Weston-Super-Mare | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Steve Pound | Ealing North | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
Bridget Prentice | Lewisham East | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Adam Price | Carmarthen East and Dinefwr | PC (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Nick Raynsford | Greenwich and Woolwich | Lab | aye |
aye |
Andy Reed | Loughborough | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
Alan Reid | Argyll and Bute | LDem (front bench) | absent |
tellaye |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | aye |
aye |
Angus Robertson | Moray | SNP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Robertson | Glasgow North West | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Iris Robinson | Strangford | DUP | no |
absent |
Paul Rowen | Rochdale | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Lindsay Roy | Glenrothes | Lab | absent |
no |
David Ruffley | Bury St Edmunds | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Martin Salter | Reading West | Lab | aye |
absent |
Virendra Sharma | Ealing, Southall | Lab | absent |
no |
Siôn Simon | Birmingham, Erdington | Lab | absent |
no |
Alan Simpson | Nottingham South | Lab | aye |
aye |
David Simpson | Upper Bann | DUP (front bench) | no |
absent |
Marsha Singh | Bradford West | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | aye |
aye |
Geraldine Smith | Morecambe and Lunesdale | Lab | absent |
no |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gavin Strang | Edinburgh East | Lab | aye |
absent |
Jack Straw | Blackburn | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Graham Stuart | Beverley and Holderness | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
David Taylor | North West Leicestershire | Lab (minister) | aye |
both |
John Thurso | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Edward Timpson | Crewe and Nantwich | Con | absent |
aye |
Paddy Tipping | Sherwood | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Mark Todd | South Derbyshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | aye |
aye |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab | absent |
aye |
Rudi Vis | Finchley and Golders Green | Lab | aye |
absent |
Joan Walley | Stoke-on-Trent North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Independent | absent |
aye |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Lab | aye |
absent |
Michael Weir | Angus | SNP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Betty Williams | Conwy | Lab | aye |
absent |
Roger Williams | Brecon and Radnorshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Jennifer Willott | Cardiff Central | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Wilshire | Spelthorne | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Phil Wilson | Sedgefield | Lab | absent |
no |
Pete Wishart | Perth and North Perthshire | SNP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Wood | Batley and Spen | Lab | aye |
aye |
Shaun Woodward | St Helens South | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Phil Woolas | Oldham East and Saddleworth | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anthony D Wright | Great Yarmouth | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Iain Wright | Hartlepool | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Tim Yeo | South Suffolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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
645 MPs who could have voted in both of these divisions,
and 20 voted the same way, with 423 voting in opposite ways.
There were 43 MPs who didn't vote in either division,
and 159 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 on opposite sides.
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])
=
423
(423 + 20 + 0.2x159)
=
423
474.8
=
0.891
=
89.1 %.