By Jonathan Isaby Before yesterday's debate on EU Economic Governance there was another minor Tory backbench rebellion during proceedings on the Equitable Life (Payments) Bill. An amendment was proposed by Labour MP Fabian Hamilton which would have extended compensation payments to policyholders who took out annuities before September 1992. The newly-elected Conservative MP for Harrow […]
By Jonathan Isaby Yesterday afternoon saw the Commons approving a variety of documents on "European Union Economic Governance". Treasury minister Mark Hoban insisted that none of the conclusions of the EU Economic Governance Task Force chaired by Herman Van Rompuy "encroaches on Parliament’s economic sovereignty" and as regard to the plans for macro-economic surveillance, no […]
By Jonathan Isaby Two weeks ago I published the first in a regular series of tables noting the most rebellious Conservative backbenchers. Since then there has been a further series of votes on various aspects of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill (which will reduce the number of constituencies and set up the AV […]
By Jonathan Isaby During last night's proceedings on the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, Tory MP Bill Cash proposed an amendment that the AV referendum should be subject to a 40% turnout threshold. He explained to the Commons: "My amendment is very modest. It simply calls on the Government to agree that we should […]
By Tim Montgomerie In the Commons yesterday Government Whips successfully defeated an effort by Charles Walker MP to reduce the number of ministers, in line with overall plans to reduce the number of MPs. Mr Walker recently wrote for ConservativeHome, explaining why fewer MPs should also mean fewer ministers. His amendment stated: "If the number […]
By Jonathan Isaby Since the demise of Philip Cowley's excellent Revolts website, limited attention has been has been paid to the regularity with which backbench MPs have demonstrated their capacity to be independent-minded – or rebellious as the Government Whips Office would consider it. ConHome has noted significant acts of rebellion by Tory MPs since […]
by Paul Goodman It's worth keeping an eye on the progress of the NAME bill – the measure that paves the way for a referendum on AV and a reduction in the number of Commons seats. On Tuesday evening, Bernard Jenkin argued that the May 5 poll date should be moved – because some parts […]
By Tim Montgomerie Yesterday I highlighted an attempt, led by Douglas Carswell, to reduce Britain's contribution to the EU. The following Tory MPs voted for his amendment*: Baker, Steve Baron, Mr John Bebb, Guto Bingham, Andrew (not on yesterday's list) Binley, Mr Brian Blackman, Bob (not on yesterday's list) Bone, Peter Carswell, Mr Douglas Chope, […]
By Tim Montgomerie The following Tory MPs voted against last night's bill on fixing the parliamentary term: Carswell, Mr Douglas Cash, Mr William Davies, Philip Hollobone, Mr Philip Jenkin, Mr Bernard Nuttall, Mr David Percy, Andrew Robertson, Mr Laurence Shepherd, Mr Richard Walker, Mr Charles Last week, ten also rebelled on AV. Pasted below are […]
By Tim Montgomerie Yesterday the Commons returned much earlier than it did under Labour governments for the beginning of a two week September session. MPs passed rejected Labour's reasoned amendment opposing the Second Reading of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill by 347 to 254 votes. Ten MPs voted against for the reasoned amendment: […]
As I pointed out earlier in a post on CentreRight, all but nine Conservative MPs were present yesterday to vote in the crunch division – defeated by four votes – which sought to allow the Speaker’s committee investigating the raid on Damian Green’s office to be set up along the lines that the Speaker originally […]