Comparison of Divisions: Opposition Day — [9th Allotted Day] — Local Government — 24 Apr 2007 at 21:49 with Division No. 104 on 29 Apr 2009 at 15:49
(Swap the two divisions around).
I beg to move,
That this House notes that council tax has soared by 92 per cent. across England since 1997, with even higher increases in Wales due to the Government's council tax revaluation; notes with concern proposals in the Chancellor's town hall finances report for regular council tax revaluations, higher council tax bands and new taxes for the collection of household rubbish; observes that frontline services such as weekly rubbish collections, social services and libraries are under increasing pressure; and calls for local people to be given a greater say in the provision of local public services through democratically elected local government rather than unaccountable regional government.
I beg to move, To leave out from "House" to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:
"notes the transformation in local government since 1997 and the dramatic improvements in performance across a wide range of front-line services; recognises the achievements of local authorities and their staff with a record number of authorities awarded three or four stars for their performance by the Audit Commission in 2006; contrasts this with the under-investment and poor morale that the Government inherited in 1997; applauds the Government's radical and devolutionary local government White Paper as the next stage in the reform of local public services, strengthening local leadership and partnership working and empowering local communities; believes that the measures set out in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill will strongly promote sustainable communities, improving local environmental quality and the quality of life of local residents; congratulates the Government on the way in which it is providing stable funding for local government, increasing overall grants to councils by 39 per cent. in real terms since 1997 with the average council tax increase in England at 4.2 per cent. for 2007-08; and therefore supports the Government in implementing the White Paper and the Bill."
Question put accordingly, That the original words stand part of the Question:-
The House divided: Ayes 160, Noes 329.
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 |
Danny Alexander | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Douglas Alexander | Paisley and Renfrewshire South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Hilary Armstrong | North West Durham | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Richard Bacon | South Norfolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Adrian Bailey | West Bromwich West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Norman Baker | Lewes | LDem | no |
aye |
Gordon Banks | Ochil and South Perthshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Barrett | Edinburgh West | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Battle | Leeds West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Margaret Beckett | Derby South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Alan Beith | Berwick-upon-Tweed | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Stuart Bell | Middlesbrough | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Brian Binley | Northampton South | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Roberta Blackman-Woods | City of Durham | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Blunkett | Sheffield, Brightside | Lab | absent |
no |
Crispin Blunt | Reigate | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Bone | Wellingborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tim Boswell | Daventry | Con | aye |
absent |
Peter Bottomley | Worthing West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ben Bradshaw | Exeter | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Graham Brady | Altrincham and Sale West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tom Brake | Carshalton and Wallington | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Julian Brazier | Canterbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Colin Breed | South East Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Annette Brooke | Mid Dorset and North Poole | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gordon Brown | Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jeremy Browne | Taunton | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Malcolm Bruce | Gordon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Karen Buck | Regent's Park and Kensington North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Richard Burden | Birmingham, Northfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Colin Burgon | Elmet | Lab | no |
absent |
Simon Burns | West Chelmsford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Burrowes | Enfield, Southgate | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Burstow | Sutton and Cheam | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Lorely Burt | Solihull | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Stephen Byers | North Tyneside | Lab | no |
absent |
Vincent Cable | Twickenham | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Cairns | Inverclyde | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Cameron | Witney | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gregory Campbell | East Londonderry | DUP (front bench) | no |
aye |
Menzies Campbell | North East Fife | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ronnie Campbell | Blyth Valley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alistair Carmichael | Orkney and Shetland | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Martin Caton | Gower | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Ian Cawsey | Brigg and Goole | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
James Clappison | Hertsmere | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Greg Clark | Tunbridge Wells | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Katy Clark | North Ayrshire and Arran | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Charles Clarke | Norwich South | Lab | no |
absent |
Kenneth Clarke | Rushcliffe | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Nick Clegg | Sheffield, Hallam | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Ann Clwyd | Cynon Valley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Harry Cohen | Leyton and Wanstead | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Frank Cook | Stockton North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Yvette Cooper | Pontefract and Castleford | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | no |
aye |
Patrick Cormack | South Staffordshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jim Cousins | Newcastle upon Tyne Central | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jon Cruddas | Dagenham | Lab | no |
absent |
Edward Davey | Kingston and Surbiton | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Wayne David | Caerphilly | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Dai Davies | Blaenau Gwent | Independent | absent |
aye |
Quentin Davies | Grantham and Stamford | whilst Lab (front bench) | absent |
no |
John Denham | Southampton, Itchen | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Nigel Dodds | Belfast North | DUP (front bench) | no |
aye |
Jeffrey M. Donaldson | Lagan Valley | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gwyneth Dunwoody | Crewe and Nantwich | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Angela Eagle | Wallasey | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Nigel Evans | Ribble Valley | Con | aye |
absent |
Paul Farrelly | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Tim Farron | Westmorland and Lonsdale | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Lynne Featherstone | Hornsey and Wood Green | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Frank Field | Birkenhead | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Fisher | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Lab | no |
aye |
Jim Fitzpatrick | Poplar and Canning Town | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Don Foster | Bath | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Liam Fox | Woodspring | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Gapes | Ilford South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew George | St Ives | LDem | no |
aye |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Ian Gibson | Norwich North | Lab | no |
absent |
Sandra Gidley | Romsey | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Dame Cheryl Gillan | Chesham and Amersham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Roger Godsiff | Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath | Lab | no |
absent |
Julia Goldsworthy | Falmouth and Camborne | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
James Gray | North Wiltshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Chris Grayling | Epsom and Ewell | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Greenway | Ryedale | Con | aye |
absent |
Nia Griffith | Llanelli | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Patrick Hall | Bedford | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Fabian Hamilton | Leeds North East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mike Hancock | Portsmouth South | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Evan Harris | Oxford West and Abingdon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Nick Harvey | North Devon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Oliver Heald | North East Hertfordshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Heath | Somerton and Frome | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Heathcoat-Amory | Wells | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
John Hemming | Birmingham, Yardley | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Stephen Hepburn | Jarrow | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Meg Hillier | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Margaret Hodge | Barking | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Kate Hoey | Vauxhall | Lab | no |
aye |
Paul Holmes | Chesterfield | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jimmy Hood | Lanark and Hamilton East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Phil Hope | Corby | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Kelvin Hopkins | Luton North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
John Horam | Orpington | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Martin Horwood | Cheltenham | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Howarth | Cambridge | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Gerald Howarth | Aldershot | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Howell | Henley | Con | absent |
aye |
Kim Howells | Pontypridd | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Simon Hughes | North Southwark and Bermondsey | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Christopher Huhne | Eastleigh | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Joan Humble | Blackpool North and Fleetwood | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Mark Hunter | Cheadle | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Hutton | Barrow and Furness | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Eric Illsley | Barnsley Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Michael Jack | Fylde | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Glenda Jackson | Hampstead and Highgate | Lab | absent |
aye |
Siân James | Swansea East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Boris Johnson | Henley | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Lynne Jones | Birmingham, Selly Oak | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Martyn Jones | Clwyd South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Eric Joyce | Falkirk | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jane Kennedy | Liverpool, Wavertree | Lab | absent |
no |
Peter Kilfoyle | Liverpool, Walton | Lab | no |
absent |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Susan Kramer | Richmond Park | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Ashok Kumar | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Eleanor Laing | Epping Forest | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Norman Lamb | North Norfolk | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Laws | Yeovil | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Leech | Manchester, Withington | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Ivan Lewis | Bury South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Martin Linton | Battersea | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Elfyn Llwyd | Meirionnydd Nant Conwy | PC (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ian Lucas | Wrexham | Lab | absent |
no |
Peter Luff | Mid Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew MacKinlay | Thurrock | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
David Maclean | Penrith and The Border | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Denis MacShane | Rotherham | Lab | no |
absent |
Khalid Mahmood | Birmingham, Perry Barr | Lab | 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 |
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 |
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 | absent |
aye |
Jim McGovern | Dundee West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne McGuire | Stirling | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Shona McIsaac | Cleethorpes | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Michael Meacher | Oldham West and Royton | Lab | no |
absent |
David Miliband | South Shields | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Anne Moffat | East Lothian | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Michael Moore | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Margaret Moran | Luton South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Julie Morgan | Cardiff North | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Malcolm Moss | North East Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Greg Mulholland | Leeds North West | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Mundell | Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Denis Murphy | Wansbeck | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jim Murphy | East Renfrewshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Brooks Newmark | Braintree | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Oaten | Winchester | LDem | no |
absent |
George Osborne | Tatton | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Nick Palmer | Broxtowe | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Ian Pearson | Dudley South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Penrose | Weston-Super-Mare | Con (front bench) | 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 |
Adam Price | Carmarthen East and Dinefwr | PC (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Dawn Primarolo | Bristol South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Pugh | Southport | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Bill Rammell | Harlow | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nick Raynsford | Greenwich and Woolwich | Lab | no |
aye |
Andy Reed | Loughborough | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Jamie Reed | Copeland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alan Reid | Argyll and Bute | LDem (front bench) | absent |
tellaye |
John Reid | Airdrie and Shotts | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Willie Rennie | Dunfermline and West Fife | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Angus Robertson | Moray | SNP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Hugh Robertson | Faversham and Mid Kent | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Robertson | Glasgow North West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Peter Robinson | Belfast East | DUP | absent |
aye |
Dan Rogerson | North Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | no |
tellaye |
Paul Rowen | Rochdale | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Lindsay Roy | Glenrothes | Lab | absent |
no |
Chris Ruane | Vale of Clwyd | Lab | absent |
no |
Bob Russell | Colchester | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Martin Salter | Reading West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Adrian Sanders | Torbay | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mohammad Sarwar | Glasgow Central | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Andrew Selous | South West Bedfordshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Virendra Sharma | Ealing, Southall | Lab | absent |
no |
Alan Simpson | Nottingham South | Lab | no |
aye |
Marsha Singh | Bradford West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | no |
aye |
Angela Smith | Sheffield, Hillsborough | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Robert Smith | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Howard Stoate | Dartford | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Gavin Strang | Edinburgh East | Lab | no |
absent |
Jack Straw | Blackburn | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Gary Streeter | South West Devon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gisela Stuart | Birmingham, Edgbaston | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Graham Stuart | Beverley and Holderness | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew Stunell | Hazel Grove | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Gerry Sutcliffe | Bradford South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Mark Tami | Alyn and Deeside | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Taylor | North West Leicestershire | Lab (minister) | no |
both |
Matthew Taylor | Truro and St Austell | LDem | no |
aye |
Sarah Teather | Brent East | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
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) | no |
absent |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | no |
aye |
Andrew Turner | Isle of Wight | Con | absent |
aye |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab | no |
aye |
Theresa Villiers | Chipping Barnet | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Independent | absent |
aye |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Lab | no |
absent |
Angela Watkinson | Upminster | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Steve Webb | Northavon | LDem | no |
aye |
Michael Weir | Angus | SNP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Whittingdale | Maldon and East Chelmsford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Betty Williams | Conwy | Lab | no |
absent |
Hywel Williams | Caernarfon | PC (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Williams | Ceredigion | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Roger Williams | Brecon and Radnorshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Stephen Williams | Bristol West | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Phil Willis | Harrogate and Knaresborough | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jennifer Willott | Cardiff Central | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Phil Wilson | Sedgefield | Lab | absent |
no |
Sammy Wilson | East Antrim | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Pete Wishart | Perth and North Perthshire | SNP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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 |
David Wright | Telford | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Richard Younger-Ross | Teignbridge | LDem (front bench) | no |
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 345 voted the same way, with 62 voting in opposite ways.
There were 51 MPs who didn't vote in either division,
and 188 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])
=
345
(345 + 62 + 0.2x188)
=
345
444.6
=
0.776
=
77.6 %.