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) |
Diane Abbott | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | Lab | 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 |
Peter Atkinson | Hexham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Austin | Erith and Thamesmead | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Adrian Bailey | West Bromwich West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Norman Baker | Lewes | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Edward Balls | Normanton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Barrett | Edinburgh West | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Battle | Leeds West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Alan Beith | Berwick-upon-Tweed | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Joe Benton | Bootle | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Brian Binley | Northampton South | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Borrow | South Ribble | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Tim Boswell | Daventry | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Peter Bottomley | Worthing West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tom Brake | Carshalton and Wallington | LDem (front bench) | no |
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 |
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) | no |
aye |
John Butterfill | Bournemouth West | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Vincent Cable | Twickenham | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab | 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 |
Ronnie Campbell | Blyth Valley | Lab | no |
absent |
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 |
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 |
Charles Clarke | Norwich South | Lab | no |
absent |
Tom Clarke | Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Nick Clegg | Sheffield, Hallam | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ann Clwyd | Cynon Valley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Harry Cohen | Leyton and Wanstead | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | absent |
aye |
Jim Cousins | Newcastle upon Tyne Central | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Geoffrey Cox | Torridge and West Devon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Crausby | Bolton North East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jon Cruddas | Dagenham | Lab | no |
absent |
Claire Curtis-Thomas | Crosby | Lab | no |
absent |
Alistair Darling | Edinburgh South West | 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 |
Nigel Dodds | Belfast North | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jeffrey M. Donaldson | Lagan Valley | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jim Dowd | Lewisham West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Bill Etherington | Sunderland North | Lab | no |
absent |
Nigel Evans | Ribble Valley | Con | aye |
absent |
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) | no |
aye |
Frank Field | Birkenhead | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Fisher | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Lab | no |
aye |
Paul Flynn | Newport West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Don Foster | Bath | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Edward Garnier | Harborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew George | St Ives | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Ian Gibson | Norwich North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Sandra Gidley | Romsey | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Linda Gilroy | Plymouth, Sutton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Roger Godsiff | Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath | Lab | no |
absent |
Paul Goggins | Wythenshawe and Sale East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Julia Goldsworthy | Falmouth and Camborne | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Paul Goodman | Wycombe | Con (front bench) | absent |
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 |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
David Hamilton | Midlothian | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Fabian Hamilton | Leeds North East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Philip Hammond | Runnymede and Weybridge | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Hancock | Portsmouth South | LDem (front bench) | 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) | no |
aye |
Dai Havard | Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Oliver Heald | North East Hertfordshire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
David Heath | Somerton and Frome | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Heathcoat-Amory | Wells | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
John Hemming | Birmingham, Yardley | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
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 |
Adam Holloway | Gravesham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Holmes | Chesterfield | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Jimmy Hood | Lanark and Hamilton East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Geoff Hoon | Ashfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Kelvin Hopkins | Luton North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
John Horam | Orpington | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
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) | no |
aye |
Lindsay Hoyle | Chorley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Beverley Hughes | Stretford and Urmston | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Eric Illsley | Barnsley Central | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Adam Ingram | East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow | Lab | absent |
no |
Glenda Jackson | Hampstead and Highgate | Lab | absent |
aye |
Siân James | Swansea East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Bernard Jenkin | North Essex | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Brian Jenkins | Tamworth | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Lynne Jones | Birmingham, Selly Oak | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Paul Keetch | Hereford | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Ruth Kelly | Bolton West | Lab | absent |
no |
Charles Kennedy | Ross, Skye and Lochaber | LDem | no |
absent |
Robert Key | Salisbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Kilfoyle | Liverpool, Walton | Lab | no |
absent |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Susan Kramer | Richmond Park | LDem | no |
aye |
Ashok Kumar | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Lab | 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 |
Martin Linton | Battersea | Lab | no |
absent |
Elfyn Llwyd | Meirionnydd Nant Conwy | PC (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Luff | Mid Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew MacKinlay | Thurrock | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Denis MacShane | Rotherham | Lab | no |
absent |
Fiona Mactaggart | Slough | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Shahid Malik | Dewsbury | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 |
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 | absent |
aye |
Anne McGuire | Stirling | Lab | no |
absent |
Anne McIntosh | Vale of York | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Shona McIsaac | Cleethorpes | Lab | absent |
aye |
Michael Meacher | Oldham West and Royton | Lab | no |
absent |
Alan Meale | Mansfield | Lab | no |
absent |
Patrick Mercer | Newark | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Alan Milburn | Darlington | Lab | absent |
no |
Maria Miller | Basingstoke | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Anne Moffat | East Lothian | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Michael Moore | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
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 |
Greg Mulholland | Leeds North West | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Mundell | Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Brooks Newmark | Braintree | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Edward O'Hara | Knowsley South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Oaten | Winchester | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Lembit Öpik | Montgomeryshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
George Osborne | Tatton | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
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 |
Andrew Pelling | Croydon Central | whilst Independent (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Greg Pope | Hyndburn | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Steve Pound | Ealing North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Bridget Prentice | Lewisham East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John Prescott | Kingston upon Hull East | Lab | no |
absent |
John Pugh | Southport | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
James Purnell | Stalybridge and Hyde | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
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 |
John Reid | Airdrie and Shotts | Lab | no |
absent |
Willie Rennie | Dunfermline and West Fife | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Malcolm Rifkind | Kensington and Chelsea | Con | absent |
aye |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
John Robertson | Glasgow North West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Peter Robinson | Belfast East | DUP | absent |
aye |
Dan Rogerson | North Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | no |
tellaye |
Paul Rowen | Rochdale | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Bob Russell | Colchester | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Martin Salter | Reading West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Adrian Sanders | Torbay | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Alan Simpson | Nottingham South | Lab | absent |
aye |
Marsha Singh | Bradford West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | no |
aye |
Angela Smith | Sheffield, Hillsborough | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jacqui Smith | Redditch | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Smith | Vale of Glamorgan | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Robert Smith | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab | no |
absent |
Helen Southworth | Warrington South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Caroline Spelman | Meriden | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Bob Spink | Castle Point | whilst Independent (front bench) | no |
aye |
Richard Spring | West Suffolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Stanley | Tonbridge and Malling | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Howard Stoate | Dartford | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Gavin Strang | Edinburgh East | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Gisela Stuart | Birmingham, Edgbaston | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Graham Stuart | Beverley and Holderness | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew Stunell | Hazel Grove | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire | LDem (front bench) | no |
absent |
Peter Tapsell | Louth and Horncastle | Con | absent |
aye |
David Taylor | North West Leicestershire | Lab (minister) | no |
both |
Matthew Taylor | Truro and St Austell | LDem | no |
aye |
Sarah Teather | Brent East | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Thurso | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Paddy Tipping | Sherwood | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | no |
aye |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab | no |
absent |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Rudi Vis | Finchley and Golders Green | Lab | no |
absent |
Robert Walter | North Dorset | Con | aye |
absent |
Robert Wareing | Liverpool, West Derby | whilst Independent | no |
aye |
Steve Webb | Northavon | LDem (front bench) | no |
aye |
Ann Widdecombe | Maidstone and The Weald | Con | absent |
aye |
Alan Williams | Swansea West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Betty Williams | Conwy | Lab | no |
absent |
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 |
Sammy Wilson | East Antrim | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Nicholas Winterton | Macclesfield | Con (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 |
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 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 %.