Motion to Sit in Private — 5 Sep 2014 at 09:30

The majority of MPs voted not to hold a private session of the House of Commons.

The text of the motion rejected in the vote was:

  • That the House sit in private.

The House of Commons' Standing Order No. 163 says:

  • If at any sitting of the House... any Member moves 'That the House sit in private' the Speaker... shall forthwith put the question 'That the House sit in private', and such question, though opposed, may be decided after the expiration of the time for opposed business, but such a Motion may be made no more than once in any sitting.

Moving the motion to sit in private is almost always a procedural tactic. By ensuring the defeat of a motion to sit in private at the beginning of the sitting, the mover makes it impossible for any member to move the motion during a subsequent debate.

If such a motion is brought during the debate on a Bill, and fewer than 40 MPs vote in it, then the debate ends immediately regardless of the result (following Standing Order 44). Such an ending of debate occurred on the 14th of March 2003. The points of order following that division show MPs questioning the appropriateness of the tactic.

Moving a motion to sit in private is often done first thing on a Friday morning. Moving the motion ensures it can't be moved later in the day, when MPs might have returned to their constituencies for the weekend and too few members may be present to reach the 40 member threshold leading to the discussion of the business before the house (typically private members' Bills) being brought to an end.

See also What is a motion to sit in private? from the PublicWhip FAQ.

Debate in Parliament | Source |

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All Votes Cast - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party are marked in red. Also shows which MPs were ministers at the time of this vote. You can also see every eligible MP including those who did not vote in this division.

Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote

NameConstituencyPartyVote
James GrayNorth WiltshireCon (front bench)aye
David NuttallBury NorthCon (front bench)aye
Jacob Rees-MoggNorth East SomersetCon (front bench)aye
Nigel AdamsSelby and AinstyConno
Peter AldousWaveneyCon (front bench)no
Stuart AndrewPudseyConno
James ArbuthnotNorth East HampshireConno
Richard BaconSouth NorfolkCon (front bench)no
Steven BakerWycombeCon (front bench)no
Tony BaldryBanburyCon (front bench)no
Gregory BarkerBexhill and BattleConno
John BaronBasildon and BillericayCon (front bench)no
Gavin BarwellCroydon CentralCon (front bench)tellno
Andrew BinghamHigh PeakCon (front bench)no
Bob BlackmanHarrow EastCon (front bench)no
Nicola BlackwoodOxford West and AbingdonCon (front bench)no
Nicholas BolesGrantham and StamfordCon (front bench)no
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)no
Karen BradleyStaffordshire MoorlandsCon (front bench)no
Julian BrazierCanterburyCon (front bench)no
Fiona BruceCongletonCon (front bench)no
Robert BucklandSouth SwindonCon (front bench)no
Conor BurnsBournemouth WestCon (front bench)no
Simon BurnsChelmsfordConno
David BurrowesEnfield, SouthgateCon (front bench)no
Dan BylesNorth WarwickshireCon (front bench)no
Alun CairnsVale of GlamorganCon (front bench)no
Neil CarmichaelStroudCon (front bench)no
Bill CashStoneCon (front bench)no
Rehman ChishtiGillingham and RainhamCon (front bench)no
Christopher ChopeChristchurchCon (front bench)no
Greg ClarkTunbridge WellsCon (front bench)no
Geoffrey Clifton-BrownThe CotswoldsCon (front bench)no
Therese CoffeySuffolk CoastalCon (front bench)no
Damian CollinsFolkestone and HytheCon (front bench)no
Oliver ColvilePlymouth, Sutton and DevonportCon (front bench)no
David DaviesMonmouthCon (front bench)no
Philip DaviesShipleyCon (front bench)no
David DavisHaltemprice and HowdenConno
Nick de BoisEnfield NorthCon (front bench)no
Jonathan DjanoglyHuntingdonConno
James DuddridgeRochford and Southend EastCon (front bench)no
Iain Duncan SmithChingford and Woodford GreenCon (front bench)no
Philip DunneLudlowCon (front bench)no
Michael EllisNorthampton NorthCon (front bench)no
Charlie ElphickeDoverCon (front bench)no
George EusticeCamborne and RedruthCon (front bench)no
Graham EvansWeaver ValeCon (front bench)no
Jonathan EvansCardiff NorthConno
Nigel EvansRibble ValleyCon (front bench)no
David EvennettBexleyheath and CrayfordCon (front bench)no
Michael FabricantLichfieldConno
Mark FieldCities of London and WestminsterCon (front bench)no
Liam FoxNorth SomersetConno
Mark FrancoisRayleigh and WickfordCon (front bench)no
George FreemanMid NorfolkCon (front bench)no
Mike FreerFinchley and Golders GreenConno
Richard FullerBedfordCon (front bench)no
Roger GaleNorth ThanetCon (front bench)no
Edward GarnierHarboroughCon (front bench)no
Mark GarnierWyre ForestCon (front bench)no
David GaukeSouth West HertfordshireCon (front bench)no
Nick GibbBognor Regis and LittlehamptonCon (front bench)no
John GlenSalisburyConno
Zac GoldsmithRichmond ParkCon (front bench)no
Michael GoveSurrey HeathCon (front bench)no
Richard GrahamGloucesterConno
Helen GrantMaidstone and The WealdCon (front bench)no
Damian GreenAshfordConno
Justine GreeningPutneyCon (front bench)no
Dominic GrieveBeaconsfieldConno
William HagueRichmond (Yorks)Con (front bench)no
Robert HalfonHarlowConno
Stephen HammondWimbledonConno
Matthew HancockWest SuffolkCon (front bench)no
Greg HandsChelsea and FulhamCon (front bench)no
Mark HarperForest of DeanCon (front bench)no
Richard HarringtonWatfordConno
Rebecca HarrisCastle PointCon (front bench)no
Alan HaselhurstSaffron WaldenCon (front bench)no
John HayesSouth Holland and The DeepingsCon (front bench)no
Oliver HealdNorth East HertfordshireConno
Chris Heaton-HarrisDaventryCon (front bench)no
Nick HerbertArundel and South DownsConno
Damian HindsEast HampshireCon (front bench)no
Mark HobanFarehamConno
George HollingberyMeon ValleyCon (front bench)no
Philip HolloboneKetteringCon (front bench)no
Adam HollowayGraveshamCon (front bench)no
Kris HopkinsKeighleyCon (front bench)no
John HowellHenleyConno
Jeremy HuntSouth West SurreyCon (front bench)no
Nick HurdRuislip, Northwood and PinnerConno
Margot JamesStourbridgeConno
Bernard JenkinHarwich and North EssexCon (front bench)no
Robert JenrickNewarkCon (front bench)no
Gareth JohnsonDartfordCon (front bench)no
Jo JohnsonOrpingtonCon (front bench)no
Andrew JonesHarrogate and KnaresboroughCon (front bench)no
David JonesClwyd WestConno
Marcus JonesNuneatonCon (front bench)no
Daniel KawczynskiShrewsbury and AtchamConno
Chris KellyDudley SouthCon (front bench)no
Simon KirbyBrighton, KemptownConno
Kwasi KwartengSpelthorneCon (front bench)no
Mark LancasterMilton Keynes NorthCon (front bench)no
Andrew LansleySouth CambridgeshireConno
Andrea LeadsomSouth NorthamptonshireCon (front bench)no
Jessica LeeErewashConno
Phillip LeeBracknellCon (front bench)no
Jeremy LefroyStaffordCon (front bench)no
Charlotte LeslieBristol North WestCon (front bench)no
Oliver LetwinWest DorsetCon (front bench)no
Brandon LewisGreat YarmouthCon (front bench)no
Peter LilleyHitchin and HarpendenCon (front bench)no
Jack LoprestiFilton and Bradley StokeCon (front bench)no
Karen LumleyRedditchCon (front bench)no
Mary MacleodBrentford and IsleworthConno
Francis MaudeHorshamCon (front bench)no
Jason McCartneyColne ValleyCon (front bench)no
Karl McCartneyLincolnCon (front bench)no
Anne McIntoshThirsk and MaltonCon (front bench)no
Patrick McLoughlinDerbyshire DalesCon (front bench)no
Mark MenziesFyldeCon (front bench)no
Stephen MetcalfeSouth Basildon and East ThurrockCon (front bench)no
Nigel MillsAmber ValleyCon (front bench)no
Penny MordauntPortsmouth NorthCon (front bench)no
Nicky MorganLoughboroughCon (front bench)no
James MorrisHalesowen and Rowley RegisConno
Stephen MosleyCity of ChesterCon (front bench)no
David MowatWarrington SouthConno
Sheryll MurraySouth East CornwallCon (front bench)no
Andrew MurrisonSouth West WiltshireCon (front bench)no
Brooks NewmarkBraintreeCon (front bench)no
Sarah NewtonTruro and FalmouthCon (front bench)no
Caroline NokesRomsey and Southampton NorthCon (front bench)no
Matthew OffordHendonCon (front bench)no
Eric OllerenshawLancaster and FleetwoodConno
Guy OppermanHexhamConno
Neil ParishTiverton and HonitonCon (front bench)no
Priti PatelWithamCon (front bench)no
Owen PatersonNorth ShropshireConno
Mark PawseyRugbyCon (front bench)no
Mike PenningHemel HempsteadCon (front bench)no
John PenroseWeston-Super-MareCon (front bench)tellno
Stephen PhillipsSleaford and North HykehamCon (front bench)no
Eric PicklesBrentwood and OngarCon (front bench)no
Daniel PoulterCentral Suffolk and North IpswichCon (front bench)no
Mark PriskHertford and StortfordConno
Mark PritchardThe WrekinCon (front bench)no
Dominic RaabEsher and WaltonCon (front bench)no
John RandallUxbridge and South RuislipCon (front bench)no
Laurence RobertsonTewkesburyCon (front bench)no
Andrew RosindellRomfordCon (front bench)no
Amber RuddHastings and RyeCon (front bench)no
David RutleyMacclesfieldConno
Laura SandysSouth ThanetCon (front bench)no
Andrew SelousSouth West BedfordshireCon (front bench)no
Grant ShappsWelwyn HatfieldCon (front bench)no
Alok SharmaReading WestConno
Richard ShepherdAldridge-BrownhillsConno
Chloe SmithNorwich NorthCon (front bench)no
Henry SmithCrawleyCon (front bench)no
Julian SmithSkipton and RiponConno
Caroline SpelmanMeridenCon (front bench)no
Andrew StephensonPendleConno
Bob StewartBeckenhamCon (front bench)no
Iain StewartMilton Keynes SouthCon (front bench)no
Mel StrideCentral DevonCon (front bench)no
Graham StuartBeverley and HoldernessCon (front bench)no
Julian SturdyYork OuterConno
Desmond SwayneNew Forest WestCon (front bench)no
Robert SymsPooleCon (front bench)no
Justin TomlinsonNorth SwindonCon (front bench)no
David TredinnickBosworthCon (front bench)no
Andrew TurnerIsle of WightCon (front bench)no
Andrew TyrieChichesterCon (front bench)no
Paul UppalWolverhampton South WestConno
Ed VaizeyWantageCon (front bench)no
Shailesh VaraNorth West CambridgeshireCon (front bench)no
Martin VickersCleethorpesCon (front bench)no
Robin WalkerWorcesterCon (front bench)no
Ben WallaceWyre and Preston NorthCon (front bench)no
Angela WatkinsonHornchurch and UpminsterCon (front bench)no
Mike WeatherleyHoveConno
James WhartonStockton SouthConno
Heather WheelerSouth DerbyshireCon (front bench)no
John WhittingdaleMaldonCon (front bench)no
Bill WigginNorth HerefordshireConno
Gavin WilliamsonSouth StaffordshireConno
Rob WilsonReading EastConno
Sarah WollastonTotnesCon (front bench)no
Tim YeoSouth SuffolkCon (front bench)no
George YoungNorth West HampshireConno
Nadhim ZahawiStratford-on-AvonCon (front bench)no
Debbie AbrahamsOldham East and SaddleworthLab (minister)no
Douglas AlexanderPaisley and Renfrewshire SouthLab (minister)no
Heidi AlexanderLewisham EastLab (minister)no
Graham AllenNottingham NorthLab (minister)no
David AndersonBlaydonLab (minister)no
William BainGlasgow North EastLab (minister)no
Gordon BanksOchil and South PerthshireLab (minister)no
Anne BeggAberdeen SouthLab (minister)no
Hilary BennLeeds CentralLab (minister)no
Tom BlenkinsopMiddlesbrough South and East ClevelandLab (minister)no
Paul BlomfieldSheffield CentralLab (minister)no
Kevin BrennanCardiff WestLab (minister)no
Nick BrownNewcastle upon Tyne EastLab (minister)no
Russell BrownDumfries and GallowayLab (minister)no
Chris BryantRhonddaLab (minister)no
Richard BurdenBirmingham, NorthfieldLab (minister)no
Alan CampbellTynemouthLab (minister)no
Katy ClarkNorth Ayrshire and ArranLab (minister)no
Tom ClarkeCoatbridge, Chryston and BellshillLab (minister)no
Jon CruddasDagenham and RainhamLab (minister)no
Jim CunninghamCoventry SouthLabno
Alistair DarlingEdinburgh South WestLabno
Wayne DavidCaerphillyLabno
Jim DobbinHeywood and MiddletonLabno
Brian H DonohoeCentral AyrshireLabno
Stephen DoughtyCardiff South and PenarthLab (minister)no
Maria EagleGarston and HalewoodLab (minister)no
Paul FarrellyNewcastle-under-LymeLab (minister)no
Frank FieldBirkenheadLab (minister)no
Jim FitzpatrickPoplar and LimehouseLab (minister)no
Caroline FlintDon ValleyLab (minister)no
Yvonne FovargueMakerfieldLab (minister)no
Hywel FrancisAberavonLab (minister)no
Sheila GilmoreEdinburgh EastLab (minister)no
Pat GlassNorth West DurhamLab (minister)no
Mary GlindonNorth TynesideLab (minister)no
Helen GoodmanBishop AucklandLab (minister)no
Lilian GreenwoodNottingham SouthLab (minister)no
Nia GriffithLlanelliLab (minister)no
Andrew GwynneDenton and ReddishLab (minister)no
David HamiltonMidlothianLab (minister)no
Fabian HamiltonLeeds North EastLab (minister)no
David HansonDelynLab (minister)no
Tom HarrisGlasgow SouthLab (minister)no
John HealeyWentworth and DearneLabno
Julie HillingBolton WestLab (minister)no
Sharon HodgsonWashington and Sunderland WestLab (minister)no
Jimmy HoodLanark and Hamilton EastLab (minister)no
George HowarthKnowsleyLab (minister)no
Huw Irranca-DaviesOgmoreLab (minister)no
Cathy JamiesonKilmarnock and LoudounLab (minister)no
Diana R. JohnsonKingston upon Hull NorthLab (minister)no
Graham JonesHyndburnLab (minister)no
Susan Elan JonesClwyd SouthLab (minister)no
Sadiq KhanTootingLab (minister)no
Mark LazarowiczEdinburgh North and LeithLab (minister)no
Chris LeslieNottingham EastLab (minister)no
Emma Lewell-BuckSouth ShieldsLab (minister)no
Ian LucasWrexhamLab (minister)no
Gordon MarsdenBlackpool SouthLab (minister)no
Kerry McCarthyBristol EastLab (minister)no
Jim McGovernDundee WestLab (minister)no
Anne McGuireStirlingLab (minister)no
Ann McKechinGlasgow NorthLab (minister)no
Ian MearnsGatesheadLab (minister)no
Andrew MillerEllesmere Port and NestonLab (minister)no
Madeleine MoonBridgendLab (minister)no
Grahame MorrisEasingtonLab (minister)no
George MudieLeeds EastLab (minister)no
Paul MurphyTorfaenLab (minister)no
Ian MurrayEdinburgh SouthLab (minister)no
Lisa NandyWiganLab (minister)no
Fiona O'DonnellEast LothianLab (minister)no
Teresa PearceErith and ThamesmeadLab (minister)no
Steve PoundEaling NorthLab (minister)no
Nick RaynsfordGreenwich and WoolwichLab (minister)no
Rachel ReevesLeeds WestLab (minister)no
Frank RoyMotherwell and WishawLab (minister)no
Lindsay RoyGlenrothesLab (minister)no
Chris RuaneVale of ClwydLab (minister)no
Alison SeabeckPlymouth, Moor ViewLab (minister)no
Barry SheermanHuddersfieldLabno
Dennis SkinnerBolsoverLabno
Andrew SlaughterHammersmithLab (minister)no
Gerry SutcliffeBradford SouthLabno
Mark TamiAlyn and DeesideLab (minister)no
Jon TrickettHemsworthLab (minister)no
Karl TurnerKingston upon Hull EastLab (minister)no
Derek TwiggHaltonLab (minister)no
Stephen TwiggLiverpool, West DerbyLab (minister)no
Joan WalleyStoke-on-Trent NorthLab (minister)no
Dave WattsSt Helens NorthLab (minister)no
Phil WilsonSedgefieldLab (minister)no
Shaun WoodwardSt Helens South and WhistonLabno
Iain WrightHartlepoolLab (minister)no
Annette BrookeMid Dorset and North PooleLDem (front bench)tellaye
Andrew GeorgeSt IvesLDem (front bench)tellaye
Alan BeithBerwick-upon-TweedLDem (front bench)no
Tom BrakeCarshalton and WallingtonLDem (front bench)no
Jeremy BrowneTaunton DeaneLDem (front bench)no
Malcolm BruceGordonLDem (front bench)no
Paul BurstowSutton and CheamLDemno
Edward DaveyKingston and SurbitonLDem (front bench)no
Lynne FeatherstoneHornsey and Wood GreenLDem (front bench)no
Don FosterBathLDem (front bench)no
Duncan HamesChippenhamLDemno
David HeathSomerton and FromeLDem (front bench)no
John HemmingBirmingham, YardleyLDem (front bench)no
Martin HorwoodCheltenhamLDemno
Simon HughesBermondsey and Old SouthwarkLDem (front bench)no
Mark HunterCheadleLDem (front bench)no
Norman LambNorth NorfolkLDem (front bench)no
John LeechManchester, WithingtonLDemno
Stephen LloydEastbourneLDemno
Michael MooreBerwickshire, Roxburgh and SelkirkLDemno
Greg MulhollandLeeds North WestLDem (front bench)no
Tessa MuntWellsLDem (front bench)no
John PughSouthportLDem (front bench)no
Dan RogersonNorth CornwallLDem (front bench)no
Robert SmithWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineLDem (front bench)no
Andrew StunellHazel GroveLDemno
Ian SwalesRedcarLDemno
Sarah TeatherBrent CentralLDem (front bench)no
Mike ThorntonEastleighLDem (front bench)no
John ThursoCaithness, Sutherland and Easter RossLDem (front bench)no
Steve WebbThornbury and YateLDem (front bench)no
Mark WilliamsCeredigionLDem (front bench)no
Roger WilliamsBrecon and RadnorshireLDem (front bench)no
Simon WrightNorwich SouthLDem (front bench)no
Jonathan EdwardsCarmarthen East and DinefwrPC (front bench)no
Mark DurkanFoyleSDLP (front bench)no
Michael WeirAngusSNP (front bench)no

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