Comparison of Divisions: Reduction of VAT from 17.5% to 15% — 17 Dec 2008 at 16:05 with Division No. 104 on 29 Apr 2009 at 15:49
(Swap the two divisions around).
The majority of MPs voted in favour of reducing the VAT rate from 17.5% to 15%.
They did this by voting against the motion[1] to annul the Order (Statutory Instrument) laid before the house for the reduction of the rate by fourteen and two sevenths of a percent (2.5 out of 17.5) which came into force on 1 December 2008.[2]
The Order was made under the powers in Value Added Tax Act 1994[3] where it says:
-
The Treasury may by order increase or decrease the rate of VAT for the time being in force by such percentage thereof not exceeding 25 per cent. as may be specified in the order, but any such order shall cease to be in force at the expiration of a period of one year from the date on which it takes effect, unless continued in force by a further order under this subsection.
This explains the strange formulation of the tax change statement, as well as the reason varying the VAT was chosen -- the powers to do it require the minimum of Parliamentary hassle.
As part of the order, the VAT on imported works of art went up from 28.58% to 33.34%,[4] which is compensatory increase by fourteen and two sevenths of a percent.
If I'm guessing right, this issue is going to be all over the next election about "How the Conservatives voted against a tax cut" in 2008, and it will go on and on and on to the point that nobody understands it and it doesn't matter.
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 |
Bob Ainsworth | Coventry North East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Charlotte Atkins | Staffordshire Moorlands | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Austin | Erith and Thamesmead | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Adrian Bailey | West Bromwich West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Vera Baird | Redcar | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Celia Barlow | Hove | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Battle | Leeds West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Stuart Bell | Middlesbrough | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Hilary Benn | Leeds Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Joe Benton | Bootle | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Richard Benyon | Newbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Brian Binley | Northampton South | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Peter Bone | Wellingborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tim Boswell | Daventry | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Peter Bottomley | Worthing West | Con (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 |
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 |
John Butterfill | Bournemouth West | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Stephen Byers | North Tyneside | Lab | no |
absent |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab | no |
absent |
Gregory Campbell | East Londonderry | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Alistair Carmichael | Orkney and Shetland | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
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 |
Kenneth Clarke | Rushcliffe | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Tom Clarke | Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Harry Cohen | Leyton and Wanstead | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Derek Conway | Old Bexley and Sidcup | whilst Independent (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Frank Cook | Stockton North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Rosie Cooper | West Lancashire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | no |
aye |
Patrick Cormack | South Staffordshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Geoffrey Cox | Torridge and West Devon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jon Cruddas | Dagenham | Lab | no |
absent |
John Cummings | Easington | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Claire Curtis-Thomas | Crosby | Lab | no |
absent |
Ian Davidson | Glasgow South West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Dai Davies | Blaenau Gwent | Independent | no |
aye |
Quentin Davies | Grantham and Stamford | whilst Lab (front bench) | absent |
no |
Jim Dobbin | Heywood and Middleton | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nigel Dodds | Belfast North | DUP (front bench) | no |
aye |
Jeffrey M. Donaldson | Lagan Valley | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Nadine Dorries | Mid Bedfordshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Farrelly | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Frank Field | Birkenhead | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Mark Fisher | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Lab | no |
aye |
Paul Flynn | Newport West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Liam Fox | Woodspring | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Christopher Fraser | South West Norfolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Gapes | Ilford South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Gauke | South West Hertfordshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Ian Gibson | Norwich North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Sandra Gidley | Romsey | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Roger Godsiff | Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath | Lab | no |
absent |
James Gray | North Wiltshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
John Greenway | Ryedale | Con | aye |
absent |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Patrick Hall | Bedford | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Hamilton | Midlothian | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Fabian Hamilton | Leeds North East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Stephen Hammond | Wimbledon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Hancock | Portsmouth South | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Heathcoat-Amory | Wells | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Doug Henderson | Newcastle upon Tyne North | Lab | no |
absent |
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 |
Kate Hoey | Vauxhall | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Jimmy Hood | Lanark and Hamilton East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Geoff Hoon | Ashfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John Horam | Orpington | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Stewart Hosie | Dundee East | SNP (front bench) | no |
absent |
Lindsay Hoyle | Chorley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Joan Humble | Blackpool North and Fleetwood | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Huw Irranca-Davies | Ogmore | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Michael Jack | Fylde | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Glenda Jackson | Hampstead and Highgate | Lab | no |
aye |
Siân James | Swansea East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alan Johnson | Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Martyn Jones | Clwyd South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Tessa Jowell | Dulwich and West Norwood | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Sally Keeble | Northampton North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Paul Keetch | Hereford | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Ruth Kelly | Bolton West | Lab | absent |
no |
Charles Kennedy | Ross, Skye and Lochaber | LDem | aye |
absent |
Jane Kennedy | Liverpool, Wavertree | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Ashok Kumar | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Lancaster | North East Milton Keynes | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Bob Laxton | Derby North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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) | no |
aye |
Angus MacNeil | Na h-Eileanan an Iar | SNP (front bench) | no |
absent |
Denis MacShane | Rotherham | 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 | no |
aye |
Robert Marshall-Andrews | Medway | Lab | no |
aye |
John Mason | Glasgow East | SNP (front bench) | no |
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 |
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 | no |
aye |
Pat McFadden | Wolverhampton South East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne McGuire | Stirling | Lab | no |
absent |
Shona McIsaac | Cleethorpes | Lab | no |
aye |
Alan Milburn | Darlington | Lab | absent |
no |
David Miliband | South Shields | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Austin Mitchell | Great Grimsby | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Anne Moffat | East Lothian | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
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 |
David Mundell | Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Edward O'Hara | Knowsley South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Oaten | Winchester | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Lembit Öpik | Montgomeryshire | LDem | aye |
absent |
Sandra Osborne | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nick Palmer | Broxtowe | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Owen Paterson | North Shropshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Mike Penning | Hemel Hempstead | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Penrose | Weston-Super-Mare | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Eric Pickles | Brentwood and Ongar | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Steve Pound | Ealing North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Adam Price | Carmarthen East and Dinefwr | PC (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mark Prisk | Hertford and Stortford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Pritchard | The Wrekin | Con (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 |
John Reid | Airdrie and Shotts | Lab | no |
absent |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Angus Robertson | Moray | SNP (front bench) | no |
aye |
Geoffrey Robinson | Coventry North West | Lab | absent |
no |
Peter Robinson | Belfast East | DUP | no |
aye |
Martin Salter | Reading West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mohammad Sarwar | Glasgow Central | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Virendra Sharma | Ealing, Southall | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jonathan R Shaw | Chatham and Aylesford | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Barry Sheerman | Huddersfield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Mark Simmonds | Boston and Skegness | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Alan Simpson | Nottingham South | Lab | absent |
aye |
Marsha Singh | Bradford West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | no |
aye |
Jacqui Smith | Redditch | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nicholas Soames | Mid Sussex | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Caroline Spelman | Meriden | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Spring | West Suffolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Stanley | Tonbridge and Malling | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Ian Stewart | Eccles | 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 |
Peter Tapsell | Louth and Horncastle | Con | absent |
aye |
David Taylor | North West Leicestershire | Lab (minister) | no |
both |
Richard Taylor | Wyre Forest | Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Edward Timpson | Crewe and Nantwich | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paddy Tipping | Sherwood | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Todd | South Derbyshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | absent |
aye |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Robert Walter | North Dorset | Con | aye |
absent |
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) | no |
aye |
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 |
Roger Williams | Brecon and Radnorshire | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Phil Willis | Harrogate and Knaresborough | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Phil Wilson | Sedgefield | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Sammy Wilson | East Antrim | DUP (front bench) | no |
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 |
Tony Wright | Cannock Chase | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 407 voted the same way, with 33 voting in opposite ways.
There were 41 MPs who didn't vote in either division,
and 165 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])
=
407
(407 + 33 + 0.2x165)
=
407
473
=
0.860
=
86.0 %.