Comparison of Divisions: MPs' expenses — Staff to continue to be employed by MPs — rejected — 30 Apr 2009 at 17:00 with Division No. 104 on 29 Apr 2009 at 15:49
(Swap the two divisions around).
The majority of MPs voted against changing the words of the motion (which was passed in the next division[1]):
-
In the opinion of this House, staff who work for an hon. Member should be employed by the House, as a personal appointment and managed by the hon. Member; and
-
The House of Commons Commission shall consider this decision and make 5 recommendations for its implementation, including any transitional provisions.
... by deleting the first paragraph.[2]
This would mean that, as there would have been no opinion made, the House of Commons Commission would not be bound by this decision and could consider all the options without limitation.[3]
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]
Public Whip is run as a free not-for-profit service. If you'd like to support us, please
consider switching your (UK) electricity and/or gas to
Octopus Energy or
tip us via Ko-Fi.
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) |
Hywel Francis | Aberavon | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Anne Begg | Aberdeen South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Gerald Howarth | Aldershot | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Shepherd | Aldridge-Brownhills | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Graham Brady | Altrincham and Sale West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Judy Mallaber | Amber Valley | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nick Herbert | Arundel and South Downs | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Geoff Hoon | Ashfield | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Damian Green | Ashford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Lidington | Aylesbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tony Baldry | Banbury | Con | absent |
aye |
Margaret Hodge | Barking | Lab | no |
absent |
Michael Clapham | Barnsley West and Penistone | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
John Hutton | Barrow and Furness | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Maria Miller | Basingstoke | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Mann | Bassetlaw | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mike Wood | Batley and Spen | Lab | no |
aye |
Martin Linton | Battersea | Lab | no |
absent |
Dominic Grieve | Beaconsfield | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Patrick Hall | Bedford | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Peter Robinson | Belfast East | DUP | no |
aye |
Nigel Dodds | Belfast North | DUP (front bench) | no |
aye |
Alasdair McDonnell | Belfast South | SDLP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Graham Stuart | Beverley and Holderness | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Gregory Barker | Bexhill and Battle | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Evennett | Bexleyheath and Crayford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Baron | Billericay | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Frank Field | Birkenhead | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
John Hemming | Birmingham, Yardley | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew Robathan | Blaby | Con (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 |
Nick Gibb | Bognor Regis and Littlehampton | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Crausby | Bolton North East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Brian Iddon | Bolton South East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Joe Benton | Bootle | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Mark Simmonds | Boston and Skegness | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Tredinnick | Bosworth | Con | absent |
aye |
Tobias Ellwood | Bournemouth East | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Andrew MacKay | Bracknell | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Terry Rooney | Bradford North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Marsha Singh | Bradford West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Brooks Newmark | Braintree | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Eric Pickles | Brentwood and Ongar | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Madeleine Moon | Bridgend | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ian Liddell-Grainger | Bridgwater | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ian Cawsey | Brigg and Goole | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Desmond Turner | Brighton, Kemptown | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Lepper | Brighton, Pavilion | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Dawn Primarolo | Bristol South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Bob Neill | Bromley and Chislehurst | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Julie Kirkbride | Bromsgrove | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Charles Walker | Broxbourne | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Nick Palmer | Broxtowe | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
John Bercow | Buckingham | whilst Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Chaytor | Bury North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Ruffley | Bury St Edmunds | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Hywel Williams | Caernarfon | PC (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Thurso | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tony Wright | Cannock Chase | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Julian Brazier | Canterbury | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Jennifer Willott | Cardiff Central | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Julie Morgan | Cardiff North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Eric Martlew | Carlisle | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Nick Ainger | Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire | Lab (minister) | aye |
no |
Stephen Dorrell | Charnwood | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Dame Cheryl Gillan | Chesham and Amersham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew Tyrie | Chichester | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Iain Duncan Smith | Chingford and Woodford Green | Con | absent |
aye |
Theresa Villiers | Chipping Barnet | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Christine Russell | City of Chester | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Shona McIsaac | Cleethorpes | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
David Jones | Clwyd West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jamie Reed | Copeland | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown | Cotswold | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Edward Timpson | Crewe and Nantwich | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Rosemary McKenna | Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ann Clwyd | Cynon Valley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jon Cruddas | Dagenham | Lab | no |
absent |
Alan Milburn | Darlington | Lab | absent |
no |
Bob Laxton | Derby North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Michael Ancram | Devizes | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Gwyn Prosser | Dover | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Stewart Hosie | Dundee East | SNP (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Jim McGovern | Dundee West | Lab (minister) | aye |
no |
Willie Rennie | Dunfermline and West Fife | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Steve Pound | Ealing North | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Virendra Sharma | Ealing, Southall | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Sammy Wilson | East Antrim | DUP (front bench) | no |
aye |
Hugo Swire | East Devon | Con | absent |
aye |
Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Gregory Campbell | East Londonderry | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Ainsworth | East Surrey | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Tim Loughton | East Worthing and Shoreham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Greg Knight | East Yorkshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Nigel Waterson | Eastbourne | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Stephen O'Brien | Eddisbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Nigel Griffiths | Edinburgh South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Burrowes | Enfield, Southgate | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Eleanor Laing | Epping Forest | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Chris Grayling | Epsom and Ewell | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ian Taylor | Esher and Walton | Con | no |
aye |
Mark Hoban | Fareham | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Hugh Robertson | Faversham and Mid Kent | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Michael Howard | Folkestone and Hythe | Con | absent |
aye |
Mark Harper | Forest of Dean | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Edward Leigh | Gainsborough | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mohammad Sarwar | Glasgow Central | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Tom Harris | Glasgow South | Lab | absent |
no |
Parmjit Dhanda | Gloucester | Lab | absent |
no |
Peter Viggers | Gosport | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Adam Holloway | Gravesham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Anthony D Wright | Great Yarmouth | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Nick Raynsford | Greenwich and Woolwich | Lab | absent |
aye |
Anne Milton | Guildford | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Diane Abbott | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | Lab | no |
aye |
Linda Riordan | Halifax | Lab (minister) | absent |
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 |
Bill Rammell | Harlow | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Douglas Carswell | Harwich | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Willetts | Havant | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Martin McDonnell | Hayes and Harlington | Lab | absent |
aye |
Mike Penning | Hemel Hempstead | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Howell | Henley | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Prisk | Hertford and Stortford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Atkinson | Hexham | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Lilley | Hitchin and Harpenden | Con | absent |
aye |
James Brokenshire | Hornchurch | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Fraser Kemp | Houghton and Washington East | Lab | absent |
no |
Barry Sheerman | Huddersfield | Lab (minister) | aye |
no |
Jonathan Djanogly | Huntingdon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Lee Scott | Ilford North | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Cairns | Inverclyde | Lab | absent |
no |
Andrew Turner | Isle of Wight | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jeremy Corbyn | Islington North | Lab | absent |
aye |
Stephen Hepburn | Jarrow | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Malcolm Rifkind | Kensington and Chelsea | Con | absent |
aye |
Philip Hollobone | Kettering | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
George Howarth | Knowsley North and Sefton East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jeffrey M. Donaldson | Lagan Valley | DUP (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ben Wallace | Lancaster and Wyre | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
George Mudie | Leeds East | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
John Battle | Leeds West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Keith Vaz | Leicester East | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Bill Wiggin | Leominster | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Norman Baker | Lewes | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Harry Cohen | Leyton and Wanstead | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Michael Fabricant | Lichfield | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Michael Connarty | Linlithgow and East Falkirk | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jim Devine | Livingston | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Andy Reed | Loughborough | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Philip Dunne | Ludlow | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Kelvin Hopkins | Luton North | Lab (minister) | absent |
aye |
Margaret Moran | Luton South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Theresa May | Maidenhead | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Ian McCartney | Makerfield | Lab | absent |
no |
John Whittingdale | Maldon and East Chelmsford | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Graham Stringer | Manchester, Blackley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Gerald Kaufman | Manchester, Gorton | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Robert Marshall-Andrews | Medway | Lab | absent |
aye |
Elfyn Llwyd | Meirionnydd Nant Conwy | PC (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Caroline Spelman | Meriden | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Nadine Dorries | Mid Bedfordshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Keith Simpson | Mid Norfolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Peter Luff | Mid Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Ashok Kumar | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Lab | no |
absent |
Paul Beresford | Mole Valley | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Davies | Monmouth | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Lembit Öpik | Montgomeryshire | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Geraldine Smith | Morecambe and Lunesdale | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Colin Challen | Morley and Rothwell | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Peter Hain | Neath | Lab | absent |
no |
Julian Lewis | New Forest East | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Desmond Swayne | New Forest West | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Patrick Mercer | Newark | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Benyon | Newbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Dan Rogerson | North Cornwall | LDem (front bench) | absent |
tellaye |
Sylvia Hermon | North Down | UUP (front bench) | no |
aye |
Alistair Burt | North East Bedfordshire | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Natascha Engel | North East Derbyshire | Lab | absent |
no |
James Arbuthnot | North East Hampshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Lancaster | North East Milton Keynes | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Owen Paterson | North Shropshire | Con (front bench) | no |
absent |
Michael Wills | North Swindon | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Roger Gale | North Thanet | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Shailesh Vara | North West Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Hilary Armstrong | North West Durham | Lab | absent |
no |
David Taylor | North West Leicestershire | Lab (minister) | aye |
both |
Henry Bellingham | North West Norfolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Ian Gibson | Norwich North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Charles Clarke | Norwich South | Lab (minister) | aye |
absent |
Alistair Carmichael | Orkney and Shetland | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Andrew Smith | Oxford East | Lab | no |
aye |
Jim Sheridan | Paisley and Renfrewshire North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Gordon Prentice | Pendle | Lab (minister) | aye |
no |
David Maclean | Penrith and The Border | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Stewart Jackson | Peterborough | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mike Hancock | Portsmouth South | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Stephen Crabb | Preseli Pembrokeshire | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Paul Truswell | Pudsey | Lab | no |
aye |
Justine Greening | Putney | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mark Francois | Rayleigh | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Rob Wilson | Reading East | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Martin Salter | Reading West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Vera Baird | Redcar | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Karen Buck | Regent's Park and Kensington North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Crispin Blunt | Reigate | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
William Hague | Richmond (Yorks) | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Rowen | Rochdale | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
James Duddridge | Rochford and Southend East | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Andrew Rosindell | Romford | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Sandra Gidley | Romsey | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Kevin Barron | Rother Valley | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Jeremy Wright | Rugby and Kenilworth | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Nick Hurd | Ruislip - Northwood | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Philip Hammond | Runnymede and Weybridge | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Alan Duncan | Rutland and Melton | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Robert Key | Salisbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Robert Goodwill | Scarborough and Whitby | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Caborn | Sheffield Central | Lab | no |
absent |
Clive Betts | Sheffield, Attercliffe | Lab (minister) | aye |
no |
Meg Munn | Sheffield, Heeley | Lab | aye |
no |
Angela Smith | Sheffield, Hillsborough | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Paddy Tipping | Sherwood | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Philip Davies | Shipley | Con | absent |
aye |
Daniel Kawczynski | Shrewsbury and Atcham | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Fiona Mactaggart | Slough | Lab (minister) | aye |
no |
William McCrea | South Antrim | DUP (front bench) | no |
aye |
Andrew Lansley | South Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Todd | South Derbyshire | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
James Paice | South East Cambridgeshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Hayes | South Holland and The Deepings | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Bacon | South Norfolk | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Borrow | South Ribble | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Miliband | South Shields | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Tim Yeo | South Suffolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Anne Snelgrove | South Swindon | Lab | no |
absent |
Andrew Selous | South West Bedfordshire | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Gary Streeter | South West Devon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Gauke | South West Hertfordshire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Christopher Fraser | South West Norfolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Jeremy Hunt | South West Surrey | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Sir David Amess | Southend West | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Shaun Woodward | St Helens South | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Andrew George | St Ives | LDem (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Frank Cook | Stockton North | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Mark Fisher | Stoke-on-Trent Central | Lab | absent |
aye |
Bill Cash | Stone | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Lynda Waltho | Stourbridge | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Chris Mullin | Sunderland South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Michael Gove | Surrey Heath | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Andrew Mitchell | Sutton Coldfield | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
George Osborne | Tatton | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Laurence Robertson | Tewkesbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Pritchard | The Wrekin | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew MacKinlay | Thurrock | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Angela Browning | Tiverton and Honiton | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Geoffrey Cox | Torridge and West Devon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Greg Clark | Tunbridge Wells | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Angela Watkinson | Upminster | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
David Simpson | Upper Bann | DUP (front bench) | no |
absent |
John Randall | Uxbridge | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Chris Ruane | Vale of Clwyd | Lab | absent |
no |
Anne McIntosh | Vale of York | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
David Winnick | Walsall North | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Neil Gerrard | Walthamstow | Lab (minister) | no |
aye |
Denis Murphy | Wansbeck | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Ed Vaizey | Wantage | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Helen Southworth | Warrington South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
James Plaskitt | Warwick and Leamington | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Charles Hendry | Wealden | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Mike Hall | Weaver Vale | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Grant Shapps | Welwyn Hatfield | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Adrian Bailey | West Bromwich West | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Simon Burns | West Chelmsford | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Patrick McLoughlin | West Derbyshire | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Oliver Letwin | West Dorset | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Richard Spring | West Suffolk | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Michael Spicer | West Worcestershire | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Andrew Murrison | Westbury | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
John Penrose | Weston-Super-Mare | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Neil Turner | Wigan | Lab (minister) | no |
absent |
Stephen Hammond | Wimbledon | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Mark Oaten | Winchester | LDem (front bench) | aye |
absent |
Adam Afriyie | Windsor | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
Ben Chapman | Wirral South | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
Stephen Hesford | Wirral West | Lab (minister) | absent |
no |
David Cameron | Witney | Con (front bench) | no |
aye |
John Redwood | Wokingham | Con | absent |
aye |
Liam Fox | Woodspring | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Paul Goodman | Wycombe | Con (front bench) | absent |
aye |
Richard Taylor | Wyre Forest | Independent (front bench) | both |
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 261 voted the same way, with 80 voting in opposite ways.
There were 89 MPs who didn't vote in either division,
and 216 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])
=
261
(261 + 80 + 0.2x216)
=
261
384.2
=
0.679
=
67.9 %.