Comparison of Divisions: Protection of freedom of expression (sexual orientation) — 9 Jan 2008 at 19:30 with Division No. 104 on 29 Apr 2009 at 15:49
(Swap the two divisions around).
The majority voted against including a freedom of speech clause into Part III (racial hatred) of the Public Order Act 1986,[1][2] which would have said:
Nothing in this Part shall be read or given effect in a way which prohibits or restricts discussion of, criticism of or expressions of antipathy towards, conduct relating to a particular sexual orientation, or urging persons of a particular sexual orientation to refrain from or modify conduct related to that orientation.
The precise implementation of this motion, had it been passed, would have been to insert a new section 13A into schedule 22 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill[3] that, when enforced, would have inserted a new section 29JA into the part of the Public Order Act 1986 which had been heavily amended by the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006.[4]
There doesn't appear to be an up to date version of the Public Order Act 1986 which is anywhere accessible to the public.
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 |
Adam Afriyie | Windsor | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Danny Alexander | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Douglas Alexander | Paisley and Renfrewshire South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
James Arbuthnot | North East Hampshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Hilary Armstrong | North West Durham | Lab | absent |
no |
John Austin | Erith and Thamesmead | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Richard Bacon | South Norfolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Adrian Bailey | West Bromwich West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Norman Baker | Lewes | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Gregory Barker | Bexhill and Battle | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Baron | Billericay | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Barrett | Edinburgh West | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Hilary Benn | Leeds Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Joe Benton | Bootle | Lab (minister) | aye |
no |
John Bercow | Buckingham | whilst Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Brian Binley | Northampton South | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Crispin Blunt | Reigate | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Tim Boswell | Daventry | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Tom Brake | Carshalton and Wallington | LDem (front bench) | no |
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 |
Malcolm Bruce | Gordon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Richard Burden | Birmingham, Northfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Colin Burgon | Elmet | Lab | no |
absent |
Simon Burns | West Chelmsford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Burstow | Sutton and Cheam | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Lorely Burt | Solihull | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Dawn Butler | Brent South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Butterfill | Bournemouth West | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Stephen Byers | North Tyneside | Lab | no |
absent |
Vincent Cable | Twickenham | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab | no |
absent |
David Cameron | Witney | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Menzies Campbell | North East Fife | LDem | no |
aye |
Ronnie Campbell | Blyth Valley | Lab | aye |
absent |
Alistair Carmichael | Orkney and Shetland | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Douglas Carswell | Harwich | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Martin Caton | Gower | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Ian Cawsey | Brigg and Goole | Lab (minister) | no |
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 |
Nick Clegg | Sheffield, Hallam | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Harry Cohen | Leyton and Wanstead | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Derek Conway | Old Bexley and Sidcup | whilst Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | no |
aye |
Patrick Cormack | South Staffordshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mary Creagh | Wakefield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jon Cruddas | Dagenham | Lab | no |
absent |
David Curry | Skipton and Ripon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Alistair Darling | Edinburgh South West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Edward Davey | Kingston and Surbiton | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Dai Davies | Blaenau Gwent | Independent | no |
aye |
David Davis | Haltemprice and Howden | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Jim Dobbin | Heywood and Middleton | Lab (minister) | tellaye |
absent |
Jeffrey M. Donaldson | Lagan Valley | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Stephen Dorrell | Charnwood | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Drew | Stroud | Lab (minister) | aye |
no |
Clive Efford | Eltham | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Natascha Engel | North East Derbyshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Bill Etherington | Sunderland North | Lab | no |
absent |
Nigel Evans | Ribble Valley | Con | aye |
absent |
Michael Fabricant | Lichfield | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Paul Farrelly | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Lynne Featherstone | Hornsey and Wood Green | LDem | no |
aye |
Mark Fisher | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Lab | no |
aye |
Paul Flynn | Newport West | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Don Foster | Bath | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Liam Fox | Woodspring | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew George | St Ives | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Nick Gibb | Bognor Regis and Littlehampton | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ian Gibson | Norwich North | Lab (minister) | no |
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 |
Michael Gove | Surrey Heath | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
James Gray | North Wiltshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
John Greenway | Ryedale | Con | aye |
absent |
William Hague | Richmond (Yorks) | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Patrick Hall | Bedford | 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 |
John Hemming | Birmingham, Yardley | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
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 |
Douglas Hogg | Sleaford and North Hykeham | Con | absent |
aye |
Paul Holmes | Chesterfield | LDem | no |
aye |
Jimmy Hood | Lanark and Hamilton East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Geoff Hoon | Ashfield | 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) | absent |
aye |
David Howarth | Cambridge | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
George Howarth | Knowsley North and Sefton East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Howell | Henley | Con | absent |
aye |
Kim Howells | Pontypridd | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Lindsay Hoyle | Chorley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
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 |
Jeremy Hunt | South West Surrey | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Hunter | Cheadle | LDem | no |
aye |
Michael Jack | Fylde | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Glenda Jackson | Hampstead and Highgate | Lab | no |
aye |
Siân James | Swansea East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Lynne Jones | Birmingham, Selly Oak | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Martyn Jones | Clwyd South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Gerald Kaufman | Manchester, Gorton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ann Keen | Brentford and Isleworth | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Paul Keetch | Hereford | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Robert Key | Salisbury | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Peter Kilfoyle | Liverpool, Walton | Lab | aye |
absent |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Jim Knight | South Dorset | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Susan Kramer | Richmond Park | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Ashok Kumar | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
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 |
Julian Lewis | New Forest East | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Martin Linton | Battersea | Lab | no |
absent |
Elfyn Llwyd | Meirionnydd Nant Conwy | PC (front bench) | no |
aye |
Peter Luff | Mid Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew MacKinlay | Thurrock | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Denis MacShane | Rotherham | Lab | no |
absent |
Khalid Mahmood | Birmingham, Perry Barr | Lab | no |
absent |
Anne Main | St Albans | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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 |
Robert Marshall-Andrews | Medway | Lab | absent |
aye |
Eric Martlew | Carlisle | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Mason | Glasgow East | SNP | absent |
aye |
Michael Mates | East Hampshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Chris McCafferty | Calder Valley | Lab | no |
absent |
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 | no |
aye |
Rosemary McKenna | Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Tony McNulty | Harrow East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 (minister) | no |
absent |
Anne Moffat | East Lothian | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Madeleine Moon | Bridgend | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Michael Moore | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Margaret Moran | Luton South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Julie Morgan | Cardiff North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Lembit Öpik | Montgomeryshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
George Osborne | Tatton | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Ottaway | Croydon South | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
James Paice | South East Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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 |
Greg Pope | Hyndburn | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Steve Pound | Ealing North | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Bridget Prentice | Lewisham East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John Prescott | Kingston upon Hull East | Lab | no |
absent |
Adam Price | Carmarthen East and Dinefwr | PC (front bench) | no |
aye |
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) | no |
tellaye |
Willie Rennie | Dunfermline and West Fife | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Angus Robertson | Moray | SNP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Geoffrey Robinson | Coventry North West | Lab | aye |
no |
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 |
David Ruffley | Bury St Edmunds | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Bob Russell | Colchester | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Joan Ryan | Enfield North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Martin Salter | Reading West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Adrian Sanders | Torbay | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mohammad Sarwar | Glasgow Central | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Grant Shapps | Welwyn Hatfield | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Virendra Sharma | Ealing, Southall | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Barry Sheerman | Huddersfield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Alan Simpson | Nottingham South | Lab | no |
aye |
David Simpson | Upper Bann | DUP (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | no |
aye |
Geraldine Smith | Morecambe and Lunesdale | Lab (minister) | aye |
no |
Jacqui Smith | Redditch | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Robert Smith | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Helen Southworth | Warrington South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Caroline Spelman | Meriden | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ian Stewart | Eccles | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Howard Stoate | Dartford | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Gavin Strang | Edinburgh East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Gary Streeter | South West Devon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gisela Stuart | Birmingham, Edgbaston | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew Stunell | Hazel Grove | LDem | no |
aye |
Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Mark Tami | Alyn and Deeside | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Peter Tapsell | Louth and Horncastle | Con | absent |
aye |
Dari Taylor | Stockton South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Taylor | North West Leicestershire | Lab (minister) | aye |
both |
Matthew Taylor | Truro and St Austell | LDem | no |
aye |
Richard Taylor | Wyre Forest | Independent (front bench) | no |
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) | no |
aye |
Edward Timpson | Crewe and Nantwich | Con | absent |
aye |
Paddy Tipping | Sherwood | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Don Touhig | Islwyn | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | no |
aye |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Kitty Ussher | Burnley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ed Vaizey | Wantage | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Peter Viggers | Gosport | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Rudi Vis | Finchley and Golders Green | Lab | no |
absent |
Robert Walter | North Dorset | Con | aye |
absent |
Claire Ward | Watford | Lab (minister) | absent |
tellno |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Independent | absent |
aye |
Nigel Waterson | Eastbourne | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Steve Webb | Northavon | LDem (front bench) | absent |
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) | no |
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) | no |
aye |
Jennifer Willott | Cardiff Central | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Wilshire | Spelthorne | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Nicholas Winterton | Macclesfield | Con (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) | 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 349 voted the same way, with 76 voting in opposite ways.
There were 49 MPs who didn't vote in either division,
and 172 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])
=
349
(349 + 76 + 0.2x172)
=
349
459.4
=
0.760
=
76.0 %.