Cannabis — reclassification from class C back to class B — 25 Nov 2008 at 19:24
The majority of the House of Lords voted in favour of the reclassification of cannabis from a class C to a class B drug, as written in The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2008.
They did this by voting against the motion:[1]
- This House calls on Her Majesty's Government to follow the recommendation of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs that cannabis should remain a class C drug and to delay implementing the order pending a further review by the advisory council
Unlike in the House of Commons (which was lucky to hold a vote),[2] the House of Lords held an extensive debate.
This order reversed the 2003 reclassification of the drug from class B to class C, where there was also a debate and a vote.[3]
- [1] Barones Meacher, House of Lords, 25 November 2008.
- [2] Cannabis - reclassification from class C back to class B, House of Commons, 12 November 2008
- [3] Cannabis - reclassification from class B to class C, House of Lords Division, 12 November 2003
Party Summary
Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.
What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.
What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.| Party | Majority (Not-Content) | Minority (Content) | Turnout |
| Bishop | 2 | 0 | 7.7% |
| Con | 20 | 6 | 12.8% |
| Crossbench | 10 | 13 (+2 tell) | 13.0% |
| DUP | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Lab | 76 (+2 tell) | 7 | 39.0% |
| LDem | 0 | 36 | 47.4% |
| Total: | 111 | 62 | 24.7% |
Rebel Voters - sorted by party
Lords for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible lord who could have voted in this division
| Name | Party | Vote |
| Lord Inglewood | Con | aye |
| Lord Lawson of Blaby | Con | aye |
| The Earl of Liverpool | Con | aye |
| Lord Lyell | Con | aye |
| Lord Mancroft | Con | aye |
| The Earl of Onslow | Con | aye |
| Lord Armstrong of Ilminster | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Bew | Crossbench | no |
| Viscount Colville of Culross | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Elystan-Morgan | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick | Crossbench | no |
| Baroness Masham of Ilton | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Patel of Bradford | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Robertson of Port Ellen | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Rowe-Beddoe | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Slynn of Hadley | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Walpole | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Williamson of Horton | Crossbench | no |
| Lord Alli | Lab | aye |
| Lord Gilbert | Lab | aye |
| Lord Haworth | Lab | aye |
| Lord King of West Bromwich | Lab | aye |
| Lord Lipsey | Lab | aye |
| Lord Maxton | Lab | aye |
| Lord Rea | Lab | aye |