Comparison of Divisions: Orders of the Day — Further Education and Training Bill [L ords] — 21 May 2007 at 21:39 with Division No. 104 on 29 Apr 2009 at 15:49
(Swap the two divisions around).
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.
Our further education system has seen unprecedented investment and reform in recent years, and continued reform is vital if the United Kingdom is to become a country with world-class skills by 2020.
I beg to move, To leave out from "That" to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:
"That this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Further Education and Training Bill [Lords] because it will introduce yet another expensive reorganisation of the learning and skills councils, further entrenching the management of vocational training through a regional structure; it will grant the Learning and Skills Council draconian new powers to dismiss college governors, principals and senior managers; and despite the recommendations of the Leitch Review of Skills it fails to address the UK's relatively poor performance in intermediate level vocational skills, the growing problem of young people not in education, employment or training, the declining numbers of learners in apprenticeships at all levels, and profound doubts about the timetable for the introduction of the new 14-19 specialised Diplomas."
Question put, That the amendment be made:-
The House divided: Ayes 137, Noes 296.
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) |
John Reid | Airdrie and Shotts | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Richard Shepherd | Aldridge-Brownhills | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Judy Mallaber | Amber Valley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alan Reid | Argyll and Bute | LDem (front bench) | absent |
tellaye |
David Heyes | Ashton-under-Lyne | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Sandra Osborne | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Margaret Hodge | Barking | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Eric Illsley | Barnsley Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Maria Miller | Basingstoke | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Mann | Bassetlaw | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Don Foster | Bath | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Wood | Batley and Spen | Lab | absent |
aye |
Martin Linton | Battersea | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Patrick Hall | Bedford | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Peter Robinson | Belfast East | DUP | absent |
aye |
Nigel Dodds | Belfast North | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Alasdair McDonnell | Belfast South | SDLP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Alan Beith | Berwick-upon-Tweed | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Michael Moore | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Evennett | Bexleyheath and Crayford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gisela Stuart | Birmingham, Edgbaston | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Richard Burden | Birmingham, Northfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Khalid Mahmood | Birmingham, Perry Barr | Lab | no |
absent |
John Hemming | Birmingham, Yardley | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jack Straw | Blackburn | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Joan Humble | Blackpool North and Fleetwood | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Gordon Marsden | Blackpool South | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Dai Davies | Blaenau Gwent | Independent | no |
aye |
Brian Iddon | Bolton South East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ruth Kelly | Bolton West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Tredinnick | Bosworth | Con | absent |
aye |
Tobias Ellwood | Bournemouth East | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Butterfill | Bournemouth West | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Terry Rooney | Bradford North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Brooks Newmark | Braintree | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Sarah Teather | Brent East | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Ian Cawsey | Brigg and Goole | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Desmond Turner | Brighton, Kemptown | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Lepper | Brighton, Pavilion | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Doug Naysmith | Bristol North West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Dawn Primarolo | Bristol South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Stephen Williams | Bristol West | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Nick Palmer | Broxtowe | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
David Chaytor | Bury North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ivan Lewis | Bury South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Ruffley | Bury St Edmunds | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Hywel Williams | Caernarfon | PC (front bench) | no |
aye |
Wayne David | Caerphilly | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Thurso | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Chris McCafferty | Calder Valley | Lab | no |
absent |
David Howarth | Cambridge | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jennifer Willott | Cardiff Central | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Julie Morgan | Cardiff North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Adam Price | Carmarthen East and Dinefwr | PC (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tom Brake | Carshalton and Wallington | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Williams | Ceredigion | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Stephen Dorrell | Charnwood | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Hunter | Cheadle | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Martin Horwood | Cheltenham | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Paul Holmes | Chesterfield | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew Tyrie | Chichester | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Shona McIsaac | Cleethorpes | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Martyn Jones | Clwyd South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Bob Russell | Colchester | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Kali Mountford | Colne Valley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Betty Williams | Conwy | Lab | no |
absent |
Jamie Reed | Copeland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Phil Hope | Corby | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown | Cotswold | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gwyneth Dunwoody | Crewe and Nantwich | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Edward Timpson | Crewe and Nantwich | Con | absent |
aye |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Malcolm Wicks | Croydon North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Richard Ottaway | Croydon South | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Howard Stoate | Dartford | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Tim Boswell | Daventry | Con | aye |
absent |
Margaret Beckett | Derby South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Michael Ancram | Devizes | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Tessa Jowell | Dulwich and West Norwood | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Stewart Hosie | Dundee East | SNP (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Willie Rennie | Dunfermline and West Fife | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Steve Pound | Ealing North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Andrew Slaughter | Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Virendra Sharma | Ealing, Southall | Lab | absent |
no |
Sammy Wilson | East Antrim | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Hugo Swire | East Devon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Gregory Campbell | East Londonderry | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Greg Knight | East Yorkshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Christopher Huhne | Eastleigh | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Stephen O'Brien | Eddisbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gavin Strang | Edinburgh East | Lab | no |
absent |
Mark Lazarowicz | Edinburgh North and Leith | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Barrett | Edinburgh West | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew Love | Edmonton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Colin Burgon | Elmet | Lab | no |
absent |
Eleanor Laing | Epping Forest | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Chris Grayling | Epsom and Ewell | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ian Taylor | Esher and Walton | Con | absent |
aye |
Eric Joyce | Falkirk | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Julia Goldsworthy | Falmouth and Camborne | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Rudi Vis | Finchley and Golders Green | Lab | no |
absent |
Michael Howard | Folkestone and Hythe | Con | absent |
aye |
Michael Jack | Fylde | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Edward Leigh | Gainsborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mohammad Sarwar | Glasgow Central | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Marshall | Glasgow East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John Mason | Glasgow East | SNP | absent |
aye |
Lindsay Roy | Glenrothes | Lab | absent |
no |
Malcolm Bruce | Gordon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Martin Caton | Gower | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Quentin Davies | Grantham and Stamford | whilst Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Quentin Davies | Grantham and Stamford | whilst Lab (front bench) | absent |
no |
Adam Holloway | Gravesham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Anthony D Wright | Great Yarmouth | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nick Raynsford | Greenwich and Woolwich | Lab | no |
aye |
Anne Milton | Guildford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Diane Abbott | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | Lab | no |
aye |
Meg Hillier | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
David Davis | Haltemprice and Howden | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Greg Hands | Hammersmith and Fulham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Glenda Jackson | Hampstead and Highgate | Lab | no |
aye |
Edward Garnier | Harborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Bill Rammell | Harlow | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Phil Willis | Harrogate and Knaresborough | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Martin McDonnell | Hayes and Harlington | Lab | absent |
aye |
Andrew Stunell | Hazel Grove | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mike Penning | Hemel Hempstead | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Howell | Henley | Con | absent |
aye |
Frank Dobson | Holborn and St Pancras | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Lynne Featherstone | Hornsey and Wood Green | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Francis Maude | Horsham | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Barry Sheerman | Huddersfield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Danny Alexander | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Chris Mole | Ipswich | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Andrew Turner | Isle of Wight | Con | absent |
aye |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | no |
aye |
Emily Thornberry | Islington South and Finsbury | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Stephen Hepburn | Jarrow | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Edward Davey | Kingston and Surbiton | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Gordon Brown | Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jeffrey M. Donaldson | Lagan Valley | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jimmy Hood | Lanark and Hamilton East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Hilary Benn | Leeds Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
George Mudie | Leeds East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Greg Mulholland | Leeds North West | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Battle | Leeds West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab | no |
aye |
Norman Baker | Lewes | LDem | absent |
aye |
Bridget Prentice | Lewisham East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Jim Dowd | Lewisham West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Harry Cohen | Leyton and Wanstead | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Michael Connarty | Linlithgow and East Falkirk | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Peter Kilfoyle | Liverpool, Walton | Lab | no |
absent |
Jane Kennedy | Liverpool, Wavertree | Lab | absent |
no |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Independent | absent |
aye |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Lab | no |
absent |
Andy Reed | Loughborough | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Peter Tapsell | Louth and Horncastle | Con | absent |
aye |
Philip Dunne | Ludlow | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Kelvin Hopkins | Luton North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Margaret Moran | Luton South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ann Widdecombe | Maidstone and The Weald | Con | absent |
aye |
Ian McCartney | Makerfield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Leech | Manchester, Withington | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Robert Marshall-Andrews | Medway | Lab | absent |
aye |
Elfyn Llwyd | Meirionnydd Nant Conwy | PC (front bench) | no |
aye |
Nadine Dorries | Mid Bedfordshire | Con | absent |
aye |
Annette Brooke | Mid Dorset and North Poole | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Nicholas Soames | Mid Sussex | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Luff | Mid Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Ashok Kumar | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Geraldine Smith | Morecambe and Lunesdale | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Doug Henderson | Newcastle upon Tyne North | Lab | no |
absent |
Paul Farrelly | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Jessica Morden | Newport East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Katy Clark | North Ayrshire and Arran | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Dan Rogerson | North Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | no |
tellaye |
Nick Harvey | North Devon | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Sylvia Hermon | North Down | UUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Malcolm Moss | North East Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Natascha Engel | North East Derbyshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Menzies Campbell | North East Fife | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Oliver Heald | North East Hertfordshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Bernard Jenkin | North Essex | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Norman Lamb | North Norfolk | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Owen Paterson | North Shropshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Simon Hughes | North Southwark and Bermondsey | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Hilary Armstrong | North West Durham | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Taylor | North West Leicestershire | Lab (minister) | no |
both |
James Gray | North Wiltshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Brian Binley | Northampton South | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Steve Webb | Northavon | LDem | no |
aye |
Ian Gibson | Norwich North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Charles Clarke | Norwich South | Lab | no |
absent |
Alan Simpson | Nottingham South | Lab | absent |
aye |
Michael Meacher | Oldham West and Royton | Lab | no |
absent |
Alistair Carmichael | Orkney and Shetland | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | no |
aye |
Evan Harris | Oxford West and Abingdon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Pete Wishart | Perth and North Perthshire | SNP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Linda Gilroy | Plymouth, Sutton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Kim Howells | Pontypridd | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jim Fitzpatrick | Poplar and Canning Town | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | absent |
aye |
Martin Salter | Reading West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Karen Buck | Regent's Park and Kensington North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
William Hague | Richmond (Yorks) | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Susan Kramer | Richmond Park | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Janet Anderson | Rossendale and Darwen | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Kevin Barron | Rother Valley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Kenneth Clarke | Rushcliffe | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
John Greenway | Ryedale | Con | aye |
absent |
Robert Key | Salisbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Phil Wilson | Sedgefield | Lab | absent |
no |
Michael Fallon | Sevenoaks | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Blunkett | Sheffield, Brightside | Lab | absent |
no |
Nick Clegg | Sheffield, Hallam | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Paddy Tipping | Sherwood | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Douglas Hogg | Sleaford and North Hykeham | Con | absent |
aye |
Lorely Burt | Solihull | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Heath | Somerton and Frome | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
William McCrea | South Antrim | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew Lansley | South Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Colin Breed | South East Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Bacon | South Norfolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Borrow | South Ribble | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Christopher Fraser | South West Norfolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Sir David Amess | Southend West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Pugh | Southport | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Shaun Woodward | St Helens South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew George | St Ives | LDem | no |
aye |
Charlotte Atkins | Staffordshire Moorlands | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne McGuire | Stirling | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Fisher | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Lab | no |
aye |
John Maples | Stratford-on-Avon | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Drew | Stroud | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Gummer | Suffolk Coastal | Con | absent |
aye |
Paul Burstow | Sutton and Cheam | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Siân James | Swansea East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Jeremy Browne | Taunton | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Richard Younger-Ross | Teignbridge | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew MacKinlay | Thurrock | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Angela Browning | Tiverton and Honiton | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Stanley | Tonbridge and Malling | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Adrian Sanders | Torbay | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Anthony Steen | Totnes | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Matthew Taylor | Truro and St Austell | LDem | absent |
aye |
Vincent Cable | Twickenham | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Clelland | Tyne Bridge | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Kate Hoey | Vauxhall | Lab | no |
aye |
Mary Creagh | Wakefield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Ed Vaizey | Wantage | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Claire Ward | Watford | Lab (minister) | absent |
tellno |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Peter Bone | Wellingborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Heathcoat-Amory | Wells | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Robert Smith | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tom Watson | West Bromwich East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Adrian Bailey | West Bromwich West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John McFall | West Dunbartonshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Michael Spicer | West Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tim Farron | Westmorland and Lonsdale | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Oaten | Winchester | LDem | no |
absent |
David Cameron | Witney | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Liam Fox | Woodspring | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Taylor | Wyre Forest | Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Laws | Yeovil | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Albert Owen | Ynys Môn | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 312 voted the same way, with 54 voting in opposite ways.
There were 65 MPs who didn't vote in either division,
and 215 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])
=
312
(312 + 54 + 0.2x215)
=
312
409
=
0.763
=
76.3 %.