Motion to Sit in Private — 11 Sep 2015 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 |

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.

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
Peter BoneWellingboroughCon (front bench)aye
David NuttallBury NorthCon (front bench)tellaye
Jacob Rees-MoggNorth East SomersetCon (front bench)tellaye
Lucy AllanTelfordCon (front bench)no
Sir David AmessSouthend WestCon (front bench)no
Stuart AndrewPudseyConno
Caroline AnsellEastbourneCon (front bench)no
Edward ArgarCharnwoodCon (front bench)no
Steven BakerWycombeCon (front bench)no
Steve BarclayNorth East CambridgeshireCon (front bench)tellno
Gavin BarwellCroydon CentralCon (front bench)no
Jake BerryRossendale and DarwenCon (front bench)no
Andrew BinghamHigh PeakConno
Crispin BluntReigateCon (front bench)no
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)no
Graham BradyAltrincham and Sale WestCon (front bench)no
Andrew BridgenNorth West LeicestershireConno
James BrokenshireOld Bexley and SidcupCon (front bench)no
Fiona BruceCongletonCon (front bench)no
David BurrowesEnfield, SouthgateCon (front bench)no
James CartlidgeSouth SuffolkConno
Maria CaulfieldLewesCon (front bench)no
Rehman ChishtiGillingham and RainhamConno
Jo ChurchillBury St EdmundsCon (front bench)no
Greg ClarkTunbridge WellsCon (front bench)no
Therese CoffeySuffolk CoastalCon (front bench)no
Alberto CostaSouth LeicestershireCon (front bench)no
Stephen CrabbPreseli PembrokeshireCon (front bench)no
Tracey CrouchChatham and AylesfordCon (front bench)no
Glyn DaviesMontgomeryshireCon (front bench)no
James DaviesVale of ClwydCon (front bench)no
Mims DaviesEastleighCon (front bench)no
Michelle DonelanChippenhamCon (front bench)no
Flick DrummondPortsmouth SouthCon (front bench)no
Alan DuncanRutland and MeltonCon (front bench)no
Jane EllisonBatterseaCon (front bench)no
Charlie ElphickeDoverCon (front bench)no
George EusticeCamborne and RedruthCon (front bench)no
Nigel EvansRibble ValleyCon (front bench)no
Mark FieldCities of London and WestminsterConno
Kevin FosterTorbayCon (front bench)no
Liam FoxNorth SomersetConno
Lucy FrazerSouth East CambridgeshireCon (front bench)no
George FreemanMid NorfolkCon (front bench)no
Richard FullerBedfordCon (front bench)no
Marcus FyshYeovilConno
Nusrat GhaniWealdenCon (front bench)no
Nick GibbBognor Regis and LittlehamptonCon (front bench)no
Dame Cheryl GillanChesham and AmershamCon (front bench)no
Robert GoodwillScarborough and WhitbyCon (front bench)no
Chris GreenBolton WestCon (front bench)no
Justine GreeningPutneyCon (front bench)no
Robert HalfonHarlowCon (front bench)no
Luke HallThornbury and YateCon (front bench)no
Greg HandsChelsea and FulhamCon (front bench)no
John HayesSouth Holland and The DeepingsCon (front bench)no
James HeappeyWellsCon (front bench)no
Damian HindsEast HampshireCon (front bench)no
Simon HoareNorth DorsetCon (front bench)no
Philip HolloboneKetteringCon (front bench)no
Kris HopkinsKeighleyCon (front bench)no
Ben HowlettBathCon (front bench)no
Robert JenrickNewarkConno
Gareth JohnsonDartfordConno
David JonesClwyd WestCon (front bench)no
Daniel KawczynskiShrewsbury and AtchamCon (front bench)no
Seema KennedySouth RibbleConno
Julian KnightSolihullCon (front bench)no
Mark LancasterMilton Keynes NorthCon (front bench)no
Jeremy LefroyStaffordCon (front bench)no
Edward LeighGainsboroughCon (front bench)no
Oliver LetwinWest DorsetCon (front bench)no
Alan MakHavantCon (front bench)no
Kit MalthouseNorth West HampshireConno
Scott MannNorth CornwallConno
Tania MathiasTwickenhamCon (front bench)no
Karl McCartneyLincolnCon (front bench)no
Huw MerrimanBexhill and BattleCon (front bench)no
Stephen MetcalfeSouth Basildon and East ThurrockConno
Nigel MillsAmber ValleyCon (front bench)no
Wendy MortonAldridge-BrownhillsCon (front bench)no
Andrew MurrisonSouth West WiltshireConno
Sarah NewtonTruro and FalmouthCon (front bench)tellno
Caroline NokesRomsey and Southampton NorthCon (front bench)no
Guy OppermanHexhamCon (front bench)no
Neil ParishTiverton and HonitonCon (front bench)no
Mike PenningHemel HempsteadCon (front bench)no
Stephen PhillipsSleaford and North HykehamCon (front bench)no
Chris PhilpCroydon SouthCon (front bench)no
Rebecca PowTaunton DeaneCon (front bench)no
Mark PriskHertford and StortfordCon (front bench)no
Tom PursgloveCorbyConno
Will QuinceColchesterCon (front bench)no
Mary RobinsonCheadleCon (front bench)no
David RutleyMacclesfieldConno
Antoinette SandbachEddisburyCon (front bench)no
Chloe SmithNorwich NorthConno
Royston SmithSouthampton, ItchenConno
Amanda SollowayDerby NorthCon (front bench)no
Anna SoubryBroxtoweCon (front bench)no
Caroline SpelmanMeridenCon (front bench)no
Iain StewartMilton Keynes SouthCon (front bench)no
Mel StrideCentral DevonCon (front bench)no
Desmond SwayneNew Forest WestCon (front bench)no
Derek ThomasSt IvesCon (front bench)no
Maggie ThroupErewashCon (front bench)no
Michael TomlinsonMid Dorset and North PooleConno
Craig TraceyNorth WarwickshireCon (front bench)no
Anne-Marie TrevelyanBerwick-upon-TweedCon (front bench)no
Thomas TugendhatTonbridge and MallingCon (front bench)no
Andrew TurnerIsle of WightCon (front bench)no
Martin VickersCleethorpesCon (front bench)no
Robin WalkerWorcesterCon (front bench)no
David WarburtonSomerton and FromeConno
Matt WarmanBoston and SkegnessCon (front bench)no
Helen WhatelyFaversham and Mid KentCon (front bench)no
Rob WilsonReading EastCon (front bench)no
Sarah WollastonTotnesCon (front bench)no
William WraggHazel GroveConno
Gregory CampbellEast LondonderryDUP (front bench)no
Ian Paisley JnrNorth AntrimDUP (front bench)no
Gavin RobinsonBelfast EastDUP (front bench)no
Jim ShannonStrangfordDUP (front bench)no
David SimpsonUpper BannDUP (front bench)no
Caroline LucasBrighton, PavilionGreen (front bench)no
Sylvia HermonNorth DownIndependent (front bench)no
Debbie AbrahamsOldham East and SaddleworthLab (minister)no
Heidi AlexanderLewisham EastLab (minister)no
Graham AllenNottingham NorthLabno
David AndersonBlaydonLab (minister)no
Adrian BaileyWest Bromwich WestLab (minister)no
Kevin BarronRother ValleyLab (minister)no
Hilary BennLeeds CentralLab (minister)no
Tom BlenkinsopMiddlesbrough South and East ClevelandLab (minister)no
Paul BlomfieldSheffield CentralLab (minister)no
Lyn BrownWest HamLab (minister)no
Nick BrownNewcastle upon Tyne EastLab (minister)no
Chris BryantRhonddaLab (minister)no
Richard BurdenBirmingham, NorthfieldLab (minister)no
Richard BurgonLeeds EastLab (minister)no
Ruth CadburyBrentford and IsleworthLab (minister)no
Alan CampbellTynemouthLab (minister)no
Sarah ChampionRotherhamLab (minister)no
Neil CoyleBermondsey and Old SouthwarkLabno
David CrausbyBolton North EastLab (minister)no
Jim CunninghamCoventry SouthLab (minister)no
Wayne DavidCaerphillyLab (minister)no
Geraint DaviesSwansea WestLab (minister)no
Peter DowdBootleLabno
Maria EagleGarston and HalewoodLab (minister)no
Clive EffordElthamLab (minister)no
Frank FieldBirkenheadLab (minister)no
Jim FitzpatrickPoplar and LimehouseLab (minister)no
Colleen FletcherCoventry North EastLabno
Caroline FlintDon ValleyLab (minister)no
Paul FlynnNewport WestLab (minister)no
Barry GardinerBrent NorthLab (minister)no
Helen GoodmanBishop AucklandLab (minister)no
Kate GreenStretford and UrmstonLab (minister)no
Lilian GreenwoodNottingham SouthLab (minister)no
Margaret GreenwoodWirral WestLab (minister)no
Nia GriffithLlanelliLab (minister)no
David HansonDelynLab (minister)no
Carolyn HarrisSwansea EastLab (minister)no
Helen HayesDulwich and West NorwoodLab (minister)no
Sue HaymanWorkingtonLab (minister)no
George HowarthKnowsleyLab (minister)no
Rupa HuqEaling Central and ActonLabno
Gerald JonesMerthyr Tydfil and RhymneyLab (minister)no
Helen JonesWarrington NorthLab (minister)no
Barbara KeeleyWorsley and Eccles SouthLab (minister)no
Liz KendallLeicester WestLab (minister)no
Peter KyleHoveLab (minister)no
Emma Lewell-BuckSouth ShieldsLab (minister)no
Clive LewisNorwich SouthLab (minister)no
Ian LucasWrexhamLab (minister)no
Holly LynchHalifaxLab (minister)no
Justin MaddersEllesmere Port and NestonLab (minister)no
Seema MalhotraFeltham and HestonLab (minister)no
John MannBassetlawLab (minister)no
Rob MarrisWolverhampton South WestLabno
Gordon MarsdenBlackpool SouthLab (minister)no
Rachael MaskellYork CentralLab (minister)no
Chris MathesonCity of ChesterLabno
Siobhain McDonaghMitcham and MordenLabno
Andy McDonaldMiddlesbroughLabno
Pat McFaddenWolverhampton South EastLab (minister)no
Conor McGinnSt Helens NorthLab (minister)no
Liz McInnesHeywood and MiddletonLab (minister)no
Madeleine MoonBridgendLab (minister)no
Grahame MorrisEasingtonLabno
Ian MurrayEdinburgh SouthLab (minister)no
Melanie OnnGreat GrimsbyLab (minister)no
Albert OwenYnys MônLab (minister)no
Matthew PennycookGreenwich and WoolwichLab (minister)no
Toby PerkinsChesterfieldLab (minister)no
Jess PhillipsBirmingham, YardleyLab (minister)no
Bridget PhillipsonHoughton and Sunderland SouthLab (minister)no
Angela RaynerAshton-under-LyneLab (minister)no
Christina ReesNeathLab (minister)no
Emma ReynoldsWolverhampton North EastLab (minister)no
Jonathan ReynoldsStalybridge and HydeLab (minister)no
Marie RimmerSt Helens South and WhistonLabno
Dennis SkinnerBolsoverLabno
Andrew SlaughterHammersmithLab (minister)no
Jeff SmithManchester, WithingtonLab (minister)no
Karin SmythBristol SouthLab (minister)no
John SpellarWarleyLab (minister)no
Keir StarmerHolborn and St PancrasLab (minister)no
Jo StevensCardiff CentralLab (minister)no
Wes StreetingIlford NorthLab (minister)no
Graham StringerBlackley and BroughtonLab (minister)no
Mark TamiAlyn and DeesideLab (minister)no
Nick Thomas-SymondsTorfaenLab (minister)no
Stephen TimmsEast HamLab (minister)no
Anna TurleyRedcarLab (minister)no
Stephen TwiggLiverpool, West DerbyLab (minister)no
Chuka UmunnaStreathamLab (minister)no
David WinnickWalsall NorthLab (minister)no
Iain WrightHartlepoolLab (minister)no
Daniel ZeichnerCambridgeLab (minister)no
Tom BrakeCarshalton and WallingtonLDem (front bench)no
Alistair CarmichaelOrkney and ShetlandLDem (front bench)no
Norman LambNorth NorfolkLDem (front bench)no
Mark DurkanFoyleSDLPno
Margaret RitchieSouth DownSDLP (front bench)no
Ian BlackfordRoss, Skye and LochaberSNP (front bench)no
Kirsty BlackmanAberdeen NorthSNP (front bench)no
Alan BrownKilmarnock and LoudounSNPno
Lisa CameronEast Kilbride, Strathaven and LesmahagowSNP (front bench)no
Ronnie CowanInverclydeSNP (front bench)no
Margaret FerrierRutherglen and Hamilton WestSNP (front bench)no
Patrick GradyGlasgow NorthSNP (front bench)no
George KerevanEast LothianSNP (front bench)no
Calum KerrBerwickshire, Roxburgh and SelkirkSNP (front bench)no
Chris LawDundee WestSNP (front bench)no
Callum McCaigAberdeen SouthSNP (front bench)no
Stewart McDonaldGlasgow SouthSNP (front bench)no
Paul MonaghanCaithness, Sutherland and Easter RossSNP (front bench)no
Roger MullinKirkcaldy and CowdenbeathSNP (front bench)no
Tommy SheppardEdinburgh EastSNP (front bench)no
Philippa WhitfordCentral AyrshireSNP (front bench)no
Corri WilsonAyr, Carrick and CumnockSNPno
Tom ElliottFermanagh and South TyroneUUPno

About the Project

The Public Whip is a not-for-profit, open source website created in 2003 by Francis Irving and Julian Todd and now run by Bairwell Ltd.

The Whip on the Web

Help keep PublicWhip alive