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) |
Diane Abbott | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | Lab | no |
aye |
Danny Alexander | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Sir David Amess | Southend West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Michael Ancram | Devizes | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Janet Anderson | Rossendale and Darwen | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Hilary Armstrong | North West Durham | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Charlotte Atkins | Staffordshire Moorlands | 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 | absent |
aye |
John Barrett | Edinburgh West | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Kevin Barron | Rother Valley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Battle | Leeds West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Margaret Beckett | Derby South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Alan Beith | Berwick-upon-Tweed | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Hilary Benn | Leeds Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Brian Binley | Northampton South | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Blunkett | Sheffield, Brightside | Lab | absent |
no |
Peter Bone | Wellingborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Borrow | South Ribble | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Tim Boswell | Daventry | Con | aye |
absent |
Tom Brake | Carshalton and Wallington | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Colin Breed | South East Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Annette Brooke | Mid Dorset and North Poole | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Gordon Brown | Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jeremy Browne | Taunton | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Angela Browning | Tiverton and Honiton | Con (front bench) | absent |
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 |
Paul Burstow | Sutton and Cheam | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Lorely Burt | Solihull | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Butterfill | Bournemouth West | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Vincent Cable | Twickenham | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Cameron | Witney | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gregory Campbell | East Londonderry | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Menzies Campbell | North East Fife | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
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 |
David Chaytor | Bury North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 |
David Clelland | Tyne Bridge | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown | Cotswold | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Harry Cohen | Leyton and Wanstead | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Michael Connarty | Linlithgow and East Falkirk | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | no |
aye |
Mary Creagh | Wakefield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Edward Davey | Kingston and Surbiton | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Wayne David | Caerphilly | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Dai Davies | Blaenau Gwent | Independent | no |
aye |
Quentin Davies | Grantham and Stamford | whilst Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Quentin Davies | Grantham and Stamford | whilst Lab (front bench) | absent |
no |
David Davis | Haltemprice and Howden | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Frank Dobson | Holborn and St Pancras | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Nigel Dodds | Belfast North | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jeffrey M. Donaldson | Lagan Valley | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Stephen Dorrell | Charnwood | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Nadine Dorries | Mid Bedfordshire | Con | absent |
aye |
Jim Dowd | Lewisham West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Drew | Stroud | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Philip Dunne | Ludlow | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gwyneth Dunwoody | Crewe and Nantwich | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Tobias Ellwood | Bournemouth East | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Natascha Engel | North East Derbyshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Evennett | Bexleyheath and Crayford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Michael Fallon | Sevenoaks | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Farrelly | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Tim Farron | Westmorland and Lonsdale | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Lynne Featherstone | Hornsey and Wood Green | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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) | absent |
aye |
Liam Fox | Woodspring | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Christopher Fraser | South West Norfolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Edward Garnier | Harborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew George | St Ives | LDem | no |
aye |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Ian Gibson | Norwich North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Linda Gilroy | Plymouth, Sutton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 |
John Gummer | Suffolk Coastal | Con | absent |
aye |
William Hague | Richmond (Yorks) | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Patrick Hall | Bedford | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Greg Hands | Hammersmith and Fulham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Evan Harris | Oxford West and Abingdon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Nick Harvey | North Devon | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Oliver Heald | North East Hertfordshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Heath | Somerton and Frome | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Heathcoat-Amory | Wells | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
John Hemming | Birmingham, Yardley | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Doug Henderson | Newcastle upon Tyne North | Lab | no |
absent |
Stephen Hepburn | Jarrow | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Sylvia Hermon | North Down | UUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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 |
Kate Hoey | Vauxhall | Lab | no |
aye |
Douglas Hogg | Sleaford and North Hykeham | Con | absent |
aye |
Adam Holloway | Gravesham | Con (front bench) | absent |
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 |
Martin Horwood | Cheltenham | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Stewart Hosie | Dundee East | SNP (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Michael Howard | Folkestone and Hythe | Con | absent |
aye |
David Howarth | Cambridge | LDem (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) | absent |
aye |
Joan Humble | Blackpool North and Fleetwood | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Mark Hunter | Cheadle | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Brian Iddon | Bolton South East | 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 | no |
aye |
Siân James | Swansea East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Bernard Jenkin | North Essex | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Martyn Jones | Clwyd South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Tessa Jowell | Dulwich and West Norwood | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Eric Joyce | Falkirk | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ruth Kelly | Bolton West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jane Kennedy | Liverpool, Wavertree | Lab | absent |
no |
Robert Key | Salisbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Kilfoyle | Liverpool, Walton | Lab | no |
absent |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Greg Knight | East Yorkshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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 |
Andrew Lansley | South Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Laws | Yeovil | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Lazarowicz | Edinburgh North and Leith | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Leech | Manchester, Withington | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Edward Leigh | Gainsborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Lepper | Brighton, Pavilion | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ivan Lewis | Bury South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Martin Linton | Battersea | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Elfyn Llwyd | Meirionnydd Nant Conwy | PC (front bench) | no |
aye |
Andrew Love | Edmonton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Peter Luff | Mid Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew MacKinlay | Thurrock | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Khalid Mahmood | Birmingham, Perry Barr | Lab | no |
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 | absent |
aye |
John Mason | Glasgow East | SNP | absent |
aye |
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 |
John McFall | West Dunbartonshire | 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 |
Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Maria Miller | Basingstoke | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Anne Milton | Guildford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Chris Mole | Ipswich | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Michael Moore | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Margaret Moran | Luton South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jessica Morden | Newport East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 |
George Mudie | Leeds East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Greg Mulholland | Leeds North West | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Doug Naysmith | Bristol North West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Brooks Newmark | Braintree | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Stephen O'Brien | Eddisbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Oaten | Winchester | LDem | no |
absent |
Sandra Osborne | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Richard Ottaway | Croydon South | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Albert Owen | Ynys Môn | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Nick Palmer | Broxtowe | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Owen Paterson | North Shropshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Penning | Hemel Hempstead | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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) | absent |
aye |
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 |
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) | no |
aye |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Peter Robinson | Belfast East | DUP | absent |
aye |
Dan Rogerson | North Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | no |
tellaye |
Terry Rooney | Bradford North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Lindsay Roy | Glenrothes | Lab | absent |
no |
David Ruffley | Bury St Edmunds | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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 |
Virendra Sharma | Ealing, Southall | Lab | absent |
no |
Barry Sheerman | Huddersfield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Richard Shepherd | Aldridge-Brownhills | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Alan Simpson | Nottingham South | Lab | absent |
aye |
Andrew Slaughter | Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | no |
aye |
Geraldine Smith | Morecambe and Lunesdale | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Robert Smith | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nicholas Soames | Mid Sussex | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Michael Spicer | West Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Stanley | Tonbridge and Malling | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Anthony Steen | Totnes | Con (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 |
Gisela Stuart | Birmingham, Edgbaston | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew Stunell | Hazel Grove | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Hugo Swire | East Devon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Tapsell | Louth and Horncastle | Con | absent |
aye |
David Taylor | North West Leicestershire | Lab (minister) | no |
both |
Ian Taylor | Esher and Walton | Con | absent |
aye |
Matthew Taylor | Truro and St Austell | LDem | absent |
aye |
Richard Taylor | Wyre Forest | Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Sarah Teather | Brent East | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Emily Thornberry | Islington South and Finsbury | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 |
David Tredinnick | Bosworth | Con | absent |
aye |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | absent |
aye |
Andrew Turner | Isle of Wight | Con | absent |
aye |
Desmond Turner | Brighton, Kemptown | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew Tyrie | Chichester | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ed Vaizey | Wantage | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab | no |
aye |
Rudi Vis | Finchley and Golders Green | Lab | no |
absent |
Claire Ward | Watford | Lab (minister) | absent |
tellno |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Independent | absent |
aye |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Lab | no |
absent |
Tom Watson | West Bromwich East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Steve Webb | Northavon | LDem | no |
aye |
Malcolm Wicks | Croydon North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ann Widdecombe | Maidstone and The Weald | Con | absent |
aye |
Betty Williams | Conwy | Lab | no |
absent |
Hywel Williams | Caernarfon | PC (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mark Williams | Ceredigion | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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) | absent |
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 | absent |
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 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 %.