David Laws MP, Yeovil

voted ambiguously on the policy

Use of UK Military Forces Overseas

by scoring 58.6% compared to the votes below

Why Majority/minority instead of Aye/No?
HouseDateSubjectDavid LawsPolicy vote
Commons25 Nov 2002Iraq — UN Security Council Resolution 1441 — Second resolution necessary — rejected minorityminority
Commons26 Feb 2003Iraq — Case for war is unproven — rejected minorityMajority
Commons18 Mar 2003Iraq — Case for war not established — rejected minorityMajority (strong)
Commons18 Mar 2003Iraq — Declaration of War minorityMajority (strong)
HouseDateSubjectDavid LawsPolicy vote
Commons9 Sep 2010UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan (Backbench Business) MajorityMajority (strong)
Commons21 Mar 2011United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 — Libya — No Fly Zone MajorityMajority (strong)
Commons29 Aug 2013Syria and the Use of Chemical Weapons Majorityminority
Commons29 Aug 2013Syria and the Use of Chemical Weapons minorityminority
Commons26 Sep 2014UK Air Strikes Against ISIL in Iraq MajorityMajority (strong)

How the number is calculated

The MP's votes count towards a weighted average where the most important votes get 50 points, less important votes get 10 points, and less important votes for which the MP was absent get 2 points. In important votes the MP gets awarded the full 50 points for voting the same as the policy, no points for voting against the policy, and 25 points for not voting. In less important votes, the MP gets 10 points for voting with the policy, no points for voting against, and 1 (out of 2) if absent.

Questions about this formula can be discussed on the forum.

No of votesPointsOut of
Most important votes (50 points)   
MP voted with policy3150150
MP voted against policy20100
MP absent000
Less important votes (10 points)   
MP voted with policy22020
MP voted against policy2020
Less important absentees (2 points)   
MP absent*000
Total:170290

*Pressure of other work means MPs or Lords are not always available to vote – it does not always indicate they have abstained. Therefore, being absent on a less important vote makes a disproportionatly small difference.

agreement score
MP's points
total points
 = 
170
290
 = 58.6 %.


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