Comparison of Divisions: Political Parties and Elections Bill — Innocent mistakes allowed in a donor's declaration — rejected — 2 Mar 2009 at 19:10 with Division No. 104 on 29 Apr 2009 at 15:49
(Swap the two divisions around).
The majority of MPs voted[1] against including a subsection in the Political Parties and Elections Bill[2] (in a part which will eventually be added to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000 when it is passed)[3] regulating the "Declaration as to source of donation" of money to a political party.
The Bill already expresses that:
-
A person who knowingly or recklessly makes a false declaration [of the source of a donation to a political party] commits an offence.
The additional subsection said:
-
A person does not commit an offence if, in the reasonable opinion of the [Electoral Commission], the person had no intention of making, or by innocent mistake made, a false declaration...
but this was voted down.
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 | no |
absent |
Judy Mallaber | Amber Valley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alan Reid | Argyll and Bute | LDem (front bench) | no |
tellaye |
Geoff Hoon | Ashfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Heyes | Ashton-under-Lyne | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Sandra Osborne | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Eric Illsley | Barnsley Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Michael Clapham | Barnsley West and Penistone | 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) | no |
aye |
Mike Wood | Batley and Spen | Lab | no |
aye |
Martin Linton | Battersea | Lab | 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) | no |
aye |
Michael Moore | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Graham Stuart | Beverley and Holderness | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Evennett | Bexleyheath and Crayford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Frank Field | Birkenhead | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Gisela Stuart | Birmingham, Edgbaston | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Richard Burden | Birmingham, Northfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Lynne Jones | Birmingham, Selly Oak | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Roger Godsiff | Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath | Lab | no |
absent |
John Hemming | Birmingham, Yardley | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Joan Humble | Blackpool North and Fleetwood | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Gordon Marsden | Blackpool South | Lab | no |
aye |
Dai Davies | Blaenau Gwent | Independent | no |
aye |
Ronnie Campbell | Blyth Valley | Lab | no |
absent |
David Crausby | Bolton North East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ruth Kelly | Bolton West | Lab | absent |
no |
Joe Benton | Bootle | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Butterfill | Bournemouth West | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Marsha Singh | Bradford West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Brooks Newmark | Braintree | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Roger Williams | Brecon and Radnorshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Sarah Teather | Brent East | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Ian Cawsey | Brigg and Goole | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Stephen Williams | Bristol West | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Nick Palmer | Broxtowe | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Ivan Lewis | Bury South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Wayne David | Caerphilly | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Thurso | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Chris McCafferty | Calder Valley | Lab | no |
absent |
David Howarth | Cambridge | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Jennifer Willott | Cardiff Central | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Julie Morgan | Cardiff North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Tom Brake | Carshalton and Wallington | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Independent (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mark Williams | Ceredigion | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mark Hunter | Cheadle | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Martin Horwood | Cheltenham | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Paul Holmes | Chesterfield | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Lindsay Hoyle | Chorley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Shona McIsaac | Cleethorpes | Lab | absent |
aye |
Tom Clarke | Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Bob Russell | Colchester | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Betty Williams | Conwy | Lab | no |
absent |
Jamie Reed | Copeland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Claire Curtis-Thomas | Crosby | Lab | no |
absent |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ann Clwyd | Cynon Valley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jon Cruddas | Dagenham | Lab | no |
absent |
Alan Milburn | Darlington | Lab | absent |
no |
Howard Stoate | Dartford | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Tim Boswell | Daventry | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Shahid Malik | Dewsbury | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Mundell | Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
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 |
Sammy Wilson | East Antrim | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Adam Ingram | East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow | Lab | absent |
no |
Gregory Campbell | East Londonderry | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Anne Moffat | East Lothian | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Christopher Huhne | Eastleigh | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Gavin Strang | Edinburgh East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alistair Darling | Edinburgh South West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Barrett | Edinburgh West | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Colin Burgon | Elmet | Lab | no |
absent |
Chris Grayling | Epsom and Ewell | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Austin | Erith and Thamesmead | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
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 |
John Robertson | Glasgow North West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Malcolm Bruce | Gordon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Martin Caton | Gower | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
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 |
Diane Abbott | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | Lab | absent |
aye |
Meg Hillier | Hackney South and Shoreditch | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Greg Hands | Hammersmith and Fulham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Glenda Jackson | Hampstead and Highgate | Lab | absent |
aye |
Edward Garnier | Harborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Phil Willis | Harrogate and Knaresborough | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Martin McDonnell | Hayes and Harlington | Lab | absent |
aye |
Andrew Stunell | Hazel Grove | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Paul Keetch | Hereford | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
James Clappison | Hertsmere | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Peter Atkinson | Hexham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Lynne Featherstone | Hornsey and Wood Green | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Francis Maude | Horsham | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Greg Pope | Hyndburn | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Danny Alexander | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | absent |
aye |
Malcolm Rifkind | Kensington and Chelsea | Con | absent |
aye |
Edward Davey | Kingston and Surbiton | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Prescott | Kingston upon Hull East | Lab | no |
absent |
Gordon Brown | Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Edward O'Hara | Knowsley South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Jeffrey M. Donaldson | Lagan Valley | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jimmy Hood | Lanark and Hamilton East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Fabian Hamilton | Leeds North East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Greg Mulholland | Leeds North West | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Battle | Leeds West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Norman Baker | Lewes | LDem (front bench) | no |
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 |
Peter Kilfoyle | Liverpool, Walton | Lab | no |
absent |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Independent | no |
aye |
Andy Reed | Loughborough | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Peter Tapsell | Louth and Horncastle | Con | absent |
aye |
Kelvin Hopkins | Luton North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Nicholas Winterton | Macclesfield | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ann Widdecombe | Maidstone and The Weald | Con | absent |
aye |
John Leech | Manchester, Withington | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Alan Meale | Mansfield | Lab | no |
absent |
Robert Marshall-Andrews | Medway | Lab | no |
aye |
Elfyn Llwyd | Meirionnydd Nant Conwy | PC (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Caroline Spelman | Meriden | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Dai Havard | Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Annette Brooke | Mid Dorset and North Poole | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Peter Luff | Mid Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Ashok Kumar | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Lab | no |
absent |
David Hamilton | Midlothian | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Lembit Öpik | Montgomeryshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Patrick Mercer | Newark | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jim Cousins | Newcastle upon Tyne Central | 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 |
Paul Flynn | Newport West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Edward Balls | Normanton | 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) | no |
aye |
Robert Walter | North Dorset | Con | aye |
absent |
Sylvia Hermon | North Down | UUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Malcolm Moss | North East Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Menzies Campbell | North East Fife | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
James Arbuthnot | North East Hampshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
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 |
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 (front bench) | 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 |
John Horam | Orpington | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | no |
aye |
Evan Harris | Oxford West and Abingdon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Douglas Alexander | Paisley and Renfrewshire South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Linda Gilroy | Plymouth, Sutton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Mike Hancock | Portsmouth South | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | no |
aye |
Martin Salter | Reading West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Jacqui Smith | Redditch | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Karen Buck | Regent's Park and Kensington North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nigel Evans | Ribble Valley | Con | aye |
absent |
Susan Kramer | Richmond Park | LDem | no |
aye |
Paul Rowen | Rochdale | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Sandra Gidley | Romsey | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Charles Kennedy | Ross, Skye and Lochaber | LDem | no |
absent |
Denis MacShane | Rotherham | Lab | no |
absent |
Philip Hammond | Runnymede and Weybridge | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Greenway | Ryedale | Con | aye |
absent |
Robert Key | Salisbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Michael Fallon | Sevenoaks | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab | no |
absent |
Nick Clegg | Sheffield, Hallam | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Angela Smith | Sheffield, Hillsborough | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Paddy Tipping | Sherwood | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Fiona Mactaggart | Slough | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Lorely Burt | Solihull | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Heath | Somerton and Frome | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
William McCrea | South Antrim | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Colin Breed | South East Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Borrow | South Ribble | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab | no |
absent |
Jeremy Hunt | South West Surrey | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Pugh | Southport | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Wilshire | Spelthorne | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Shaun Woodward | St Helens South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew George | St Ives | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
James Purnell | Stalybridge and Hyde | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne McGuire | Stirling | Lab | no |
absent |
Mark Fisher | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Lab | no |
aye |
John Maples | Stratford-on-Avon | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Beverley Hughes | Stretford and Urmston | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Bill Etherington | Sunderland North | Lab | no |
absent |
Paul Burstow | Sutton and Cheam | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Siân James | Swansea East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alan Williams | Swansea West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Brian Jenkins | Tamworth | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
George Osborne | Tatton | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jeremy Browne | Taunton | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Richard Younger-Ross | Teignbridge | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew MacKinlay | Thurrock | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
John Stanley | Tonbridge and Malling | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Adrian Sanders | Torbay | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Geoffrey Cox | Torridge and West Devon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Matthew Taylor | Truro and St Austell | LDem | no |
aye |
Vincent Cable | Twickenham | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Smith | Vale of Glamorgan | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne McIntosh | Vale of York | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Kate Hoey | Vauxhall | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Helen Southworth | Warrington South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Heathcoat-Amory | Wells | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Robert Smith | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Adrian Bailey | West Bromwich West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Richard Spring | West Suffolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tim Farron | Westmorland and Lonsdale | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab | no |
absent |
Mark Oaten | Winchester | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
David Cameron | Witney | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Humfrey Malins | Woking | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Peter Bottomley | Worthing West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Goodman | Wycombe | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Goggins | Wythenshawe and Sale East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Laws | Yeovil | 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 362 voted the same way, with 72 voting in opposite ways.
There were 37 MPs who didn't vote in either division,
and 175 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])
=
362
(362 + 72 + 0.2x175)
=
362
469
=
0.772
=
77.2 %.