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Tag: Liberal Democrats

All the latest breaking news on the UK political party, the Liberal Democrats. Browse The THEGAYUK’s complete collection of features and commentary on the Liberal Democrats.

  • Welsh Lib Dems Call For End To Gay Blood Ban

    Marking National Blood Week, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to end the ban on gay and bisexual men giving blood.

    Currently, UK Government guidelines prevent gay and bisexual men from donating blood if they have had sex with another male within the preceding twelve months. Proponents of the ban argue that gay and bisexual men are more likely than any other group to contract HIV, but figures for 2012 show that more people contract HIV through heterosexual sex than homosexual sex.

    Welsh Lib Dem AM Peter Black raised the issue in the Welsh Assembly earlier today. The Welsh Minister for Government Business agreed to ask the Minister for Health and Social Services to look at the matter further.

    Peter Black AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Equalities Minister, said,

    “National Blood Week has brought to our attention that the blood service needs 204,000 extra donors to meet demand. Given this huge demand for blood donors, I completely fail to understand why the ban on men who have sex with men giving blood is still in place.

    “This ban not only turns away thousands of willing and healthy potential donors, but it also serves to reinforce negative stereotypes about gay and bisexual men. Straight people get HIV too, and all donated blood is tested for HIV and other diseases before being transfused for precisely that reason.

    “The sooner this unfair and discriminatory ban is lifted, the sooner our blood services can benefit from a greater supply of donated blood and more lives can be saved.”

  • EXCLUSIVE: Brian Paddick Backs Tim Farron For Lib Dem Party Leader

    Britain’s highest profile out Liberal Democrat member, Lord Brian Paddick has officially backed MP Tim Farron in the race for party leader.

    • Tim Farron “100% Behind LGBTI Rights”
    • Both Tim Farron and Norman Lamb have been nominated, now the party’s 61,000 members will decide who will be leader
    • Brian Paddick confident in Farron’s grassroots approach to politics

    Liberal Democrat peer Brian Paddick has revealed exclusively to the THEGAYUK that he is officially backing ex-Lib Dem party chairman Tim Farron, for leader, after it was revealed that both Tim Farron and Norman Lamb were successful in their nomination for the role that will undoubtedly be a tough struggle to rebuild the Liberal Democrats after a shattering defeat in the General Election.

    The contest for the party’s leadership was sparked by the resignation of Nick Clegg last month after the party lost 49 seats.

    Brian Paddick who was elevated to the House of Lords in 2013, has thrown his weight behind the Westmorland and Lonsdale MP, by championing his leadership and campaigning skills, which have enlivened grassroots activists and the Lib Dem membership.

    “I have to be honest here and say that I didn’t think I would ever come to say this, being a supporter of Nick Clegg when he was leader, and bearing in mind on a couple occasions Tim Farron didn’t make some particularly helpful interventions, but I am supporting Tim Farron for leader of the Liberal Democrats, because I think he is exactly the person that the party needs when you consider the position that the party is in at the moment.

    “Tim Farron has shown himself in being a master of connecting with activists and with ordinary members; he did a fantastic job as President of the party.

    “He developed links with all parts of the country, got to know people in practically every corner of the UK, coupled with the fact that he’s very enthusiastic and has loads of energy.

    “If we had been in a different situation and maintained the numbers of MPs that we had, then maybe it would be a different story, but I believe Tim Farron is the leader the Liberal Democrats need at this time.”

    “We’ve got to build the party from the ground up and there’s one thing that Tim Farron is excellent at, and that is ground level politics.”

    When asked if Tim Farron had the right showmanship for leadership and whether in future Leaders’ debates he would turn people on, Brian laughs and says,

    “He’s not my type to be honest, but he is a very effective communicator.”

    Tim Farron has attracted some criticism after he abstained from voting on same-sex marriage. He also voted to delay passage of the same-sex marriage bill, arguing that more time was needed to analyse the impact on religious groups.

    Speaking about Farron’s record on voting Paddick remarked,

    “Tim Farron has come under a lot of criticism from people who either deliberately or simply misread Tim’s position when it came to votes in the House of Commons on equal marriage,

    “He did ask for a change in the timetable to allow more discussion over complex issues around people who have honestly held beliefs who are currently employed as registrars, for example, who would feel very uncomfortable because it conflicts with their faith to conduct an equal marriage ceremony. He felt not enough time had been allowed in the parliamentary time belt to discuss those issues.

    “He has made it absolutely clear subsequently, he was specifically asked by a group of Christians, if there was a equal marriage repeal act or bill to reverse the decision he would absolutely not support that in any way shape or form.

    “As the Liberal Democrats’ gayest highest profile member I am absolutely confident that I can vote for Tim Farron and that he is absolutely 100% behind LGBTI rights.”

    The Liberal Democrats’ 61,000 members will now be able to cast their vote for the person they’d like to see as leader. Ballot papers will be sent on the 24th June, with results announced on the 16th July.

  • Religious Political Parties Against Gay Rights Fail To Achieve 7000 Votes

    Two political parties that would have would have looked to undo equality for LGBT people in the UK have faired terribly in the UK general elections as fewer than 7,000 people voted in favour of religious based politics.

    The Christian People’s Alliance which was staunchly against the redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples and would have looked to repeal women’s right to choose, by abolishing the 1967 Abortion Act has at time of publish just 3260 votes failing to declare any seats in Parliament.

    The Christian Party faired no better with just 3205 votes.

    According to the The Christian Party’s website it believes that there is a “homosexual agenda” and a “militant homosexual lobby” and they are alone in “opposing the redefinition of marriage to include civil partnerships”.

    The CP would have wanted civil partnerships to be redefined to a civil contract.

    On their official website the Christian Party suggest that the “homosexual agenda” is a moving one, which began with the campaign to decriminalise what two people do in the privacy of their own homes, toleration, equality and fairness, coming out and now it believes“, and it is now in the coersion phase; it plans to move on to the paedophilia phase soon”.

    Neither party managed to gain any seats in any of the constituencies they were standing for.

    Currently, the Conservatives have 325 seats with over 11 million votes, Labour has 228 seats with 9.2 million votes, and Liberal Democrats has 8 seats with 2.3 million seats.

  • Welsh Lib Dems: “Embed Gender Awareness” In Teacher Training

    The Welsh Assembly voted in favour of calls by the Welsh Liberal Democrats to explore the feasibility of establishing a gender identity clinic in Wales

    Welsh Lib Dem AMs proposed an amendment in the Welsh Assembly to the Welsh Government’s Annual Equality Report which called for an independent feasibility study into establishing a clinic. Wales is the only nation of the UK without its own gender identity clinic, forcing trans patients to travel to England to receive treatment.

    The absence of a Welsh clinic was one of many issues raised by the Welsh Lib Dems in their landmark debate on transgender issues, the first of its kind in the Welsh Assembly, which took place in November 2014.

    An additional Welsh Lib Dem amendment calls on the Government to embed gender awareness training in teacher training courses to help create gender aware learning environments in Welsh schools. This amendment was also passed by the Assembly.

    Peter Black AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Equalities Minister, said:

    “From a lack of local clinics to inadequate housing provision, trans people in Wales are being somewhat left behind. I’m proud that the Welsh Lib Dems are leading the way on improving the experiences of trans people as they use public services.

    “This is an important first step in finally ensuring that Welsh trans people don’t have to travel to the other side of the UK to receive treatment. The Welsh Labour Government previously claimed there isn’t enough demand for a gender clinic in Wales, but did so without any solid basis for their claim.

    “We want Wales to lead the way in creating a fairer society where no-one, no matter who they are and what their gender, faces discrimination in their lives. It won’t happen overnight, but I’m proud we are walking along the right path to equality.”

  • Should Gay People Vote Purely On Parties’ Record On Gay Rights?

    I’ll jump straight in and start by stating the bleeding obvious, that I don’t think gay people should be voting purely on political parties’ record on gay rights.

    I believe there is a much bigger picture that needs to be looked at. Sexuality should not define us as individuals and although we have some way to go until things are really equal for us, I feel that there are more pressing issues that should be given consideration at this time.

    With just just under two weeks to go until the General Election, it’s looking like it will be a close battle between Labour and the Conservative Party, with losses likely for the Liberal Democrats and some gains for UKIP. The campaigning is ramping up a gear with each rise of the sun and the various political parties have been releasing their manifestos.

    As part of the manifestos, most of the political parties have mentioned LGBT rights and the Labour Party have a specific LGBT manifesto. It’s great that the parties are being mindful of LGBT rights and it shows what great progress has been made in recent times. However, it could also be seen as an attempt to win the ‘pink vote’ and I’m cautious of voting for a political party just because they have pledged to do the most for gay people.

    The last Labour government did a lot for gay people; lowering the age of consent, repealing the ban on gay people serving in the armed forces, repealing Section 28, introducing civil partnerships, and a whole host of other equality legislation. The current Conservative-Lib Dem Coalition has introduced marriage equality for gay people and set up a £2 million fund to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools.

    The Green Party have always been supportive of full equality for gay people. Then there’s UKIP, who despite having some truly awful characters in their ranks and being the only main political party not to address LGBT rights in their manifesto, have an LGBT network.

    In fact, at this year’s Warwickshire Pride festival, which I organise, so far UKIP are the only political party to book a stall there.

    Now I’m by no means a UKIP supporter, but the point I am making is that all of the political parties have aspects that could appeal to a gay voter. But as mentioned previously, there is so much more to take into consideration.

    If you cut me open, my blood is red (take from that what you will). I know exactly who I’ll be voting for on May 7th. The issues that matter to me are the economy, protecting the NHS, and supporting the most vulnerable in our society. The state of the country and our society as a whole is more important to me than my individual rights. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one (fans of Star Trek will recognise that quote).

    It would be wrong of me to tell you who you should be voting for. Ultimately you will know what your values are and where you stand on certain issues. What I will plead though, is that you at least exercise your right to vote. You never know; it could be your vote that counts the most.

     

    by @MrDanielBrowne

     

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  • COMMENT | Pinks For The Blues Or Reds?

    There are only two real players that could be Top-of-the-Pops in this years General Election come May 7th. Let’s not beat around the Mulberry, burnt orange soft grain leather weekend bag, Ed Miliband or David Cameron will be residing at number ten whatever the result.

    The chart-topper will probably have to share a piece of the action with a lesser party, embarking on yet another coalition. Either way, Ed or David will hold the majority of clout.

    The UK would obviously be a more harmonious, Telly-Tubby-like place to live if the Green Party were elected. Everyone would do away with cars and annual travel cards and walk, cycle or skip to work come blustery showers and cheek-freezing winters. Plus we’d purr like kittens in our boudoirs at night, safe in the knowledge if we were threatened by a nuclear attack the country could do sod all in defence. Not practical, unless the Greens send the other countries with nukes seductive sonnets, on recycled paper of course, convincing them to disarm their missiles as well.

    Nigel Farage – what a guy. Spitting Image would have gone to town, three major cities and punched not only the air but a couple of Boeing 747s to make a latex puppet of him. Although, he’s doing the muppet thing quite well on his own. This is the chap, back in December last year, that defended comments made by former UKIP activist Kerry Smith. Kerry called gay party members “disgusting poofters”.

    Nick Clegg should be aware that liberal, open-minded and generous-hearted Carol Vorderman was out the Countdown door when her time was up.

    Attitude Magazine’s May issue asked Farage, “Where do you think we should be turning our attention next in terms of LGBT rights?”. Nigel poetically answered: “Is there anything? You tell me”. Clearly Farage, and matters relating to the LGBT community spend as much time together as Sam-Cam and Justine Thornton (Miliband’s trouble-and-strife).

    So, is it the Reds or the Blues who will win the pink votes?

    The Same-Sex-Marriage Act was passed during the Conservatives reign. But the Blues didn’t give same-sex couples the same inheritance and pension rights as heterosexual couples.

    The gay marriage act didn’t stand a hope in Heaven without the Liberal Democrats help, or Labour MPs like Ray Collins and Waheed Ali. They propelled the Same-Sex-Marriage Act through the House of Lords. 128 Tory MPs voted against gay wedlock, only 117 voted for rainbow confetti affairs.

    David Cameron gives the perception he’d be happy to hang out with lesbians and have a cheeky wiggle down at XXL. The Cams would no doubt be scintillating company on your table at a homo wedding – they’ve probably been to loads. Is it a case of wolf in wool tailor-made suit worth £3500? How genuine are the Conservatives as a whole for gay rights?

    The Reds passed the Civil Partnership Bill and scrapped Section 28, and in doing so equalised the age of consent, fertility treatments, adoption rights and allowed gays in the armed services to come out.

    Let’s not brush under the silk Isfahan rug that Cameron voted against the annulment of Section 28 in 2003. Furthermore, the Tories were the only major party in the last game of ‘I Want To Be Prime Minister’ with the same amount of gay policies as UKIP in this year’s election. Zero.

    Ed Miliband told Attitude, “I’m determined to be a warrior against injustice and for great equality”. Ed just might be able to pull-off chest armour, a leather skirt and a plumed helmet. Labour hasn’t had the reluctance over the year for flying the rainbow flag like the blues.

    Michael Cashman has been appointed the rainbow superhero on LGBT issues worldwide for Labour. Where’s the Tories’ pink MP?

    Who’s most likely to support gay Soho, fight for equality around the globe and perhaps lower the cost of Hermès? One of these parliamentary-plonkers will be chief. I’m voting for the reds in my constituency.
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    Vote clever team.

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  • David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband praise HIV prevention drug PrEP

    HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust has welcomed comments in support of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) from party leaders David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband.

    (more…)

  • Which MPs Voted For And Against Gay Marriage In The UK

    Here is the full list of MPs and how they voted in the government’s same-sex marriage legislation.

    Opposed

    136 Conservatives

    Nigel Adams (Selby & Ainsty)

    Adam Afriyie (Windsor)

    Peter Aldous (Waveney)

    David Amess (Southend West)

    James Arbuthnot (Hampshire North East)

    Richard Bacon (Norfolk South)

    Steven Baker (Wycombe)

    Tony Baldry (Banbury)

    Guto Bebb (Aberconwy)

    Henry Bellingham (Norfolk North West)

    Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley)

    Andrew Bingham (High Peak)

    Bob Blackman (Harrow East)

    Peter Bone (Wellingborough)

    Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West)

    Julian Brazier (Canterbury)

    Andrew Bridgen (Leicestershire North West)

    Steve Brine (Winchester)

    Fiona Bruce (Congleton)

    Robert Buckland (Swindon South)

    Simon Burns (Chelmsford)

    David Burrowes (Enfield Southgate)

    Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan)

    Douglas Carswell (Clacton)

    Bill Cash (Stone)

    Rehman Chishti (Gillingham & Rainham)

    Christopher Chope (Christchurch)

    Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswolds, The)

    Therese Coffey (Suffolk Coastal)

    Geoffrey Cox (Devon West & Torridge)

    Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

    David Davies (Monmouth)

    Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire)

    Philip Davies (Shipley)

    David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden)

    Nick de Bois (Enfield North)

    Caroline Dinenage (Gosport)

    Richard Drax (Dorset South)

    Charlie Elphicke (Dover)

    Jonathan Evans (Cardiff North)

    David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford)

    Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks)

    Liam Fox (Somerset North)

    Mark Francois (Rayleigh & Wickford)

    George Freeman (Norfolk Mid)

    Roger Gale (Thanet North)

    Sir Edward Garnier (Harborough)

    Mark Garnier (Wyre Forest)

    Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham)

    John Glen (Salisbury)

    Robert Goodwill (Scarborough & Whitby)

    James Gray (Wiltshire North)

    Andrew Griffiths (Burton)

    Robert Halfon (Harlow)

    Simon Hart (Carmarthen West & Pembrokeshire South)

    Sir Alan Haselhurst (Saffron Walden)

    John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings)

    Oliver Heald (Hertfordshire North East)

    Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne & Sheppey)

    Philip Hollobone (Kettering)

    Adam Holloway (Gravesham)

    Sir Gerald Howarth (Aldershot)

    Stewart Jackson (Peterborough)

    Gareth Johnson (Dartford)

    David Jones (Clwyd West)

    Marcus Jones (Nuneaton)

    Greg Knight (Yorkshire East)

    Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne)

    Mark Lancaster (Milton Keynes North)

    Pauline Latham (Derbyshire Mid)

    Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford)

    Edward Leigh (Gainsborough)

    Julian Lewis (New Forest East)

    David Lidington (Aylesbury)

    Peter Lilley (Hitchin & Harpenden)

    Jack Lopresti (Filton & Bradley Stoke)

    Jonathan Lord (Woking)

    Tim Loughton (Worthing East & Shoreham)

    Karen Lumley (Redditch)

    Karl McCartney (Lincoln)

    Anne McIntosh (Thirsk & Malton)

    Stephen McPartland (Stevenage)

    Esther McVey (Wirral West)

    Anne Main (St Albans)

    Paul Maynard (Blackpool North & Cleveleys)

    Stephen Metcalfe (Basildon South & Thurrock East)

    Nicky Morgan (Loughborough)

    Anne-Marie Morris (Newton Abbot)

    David Morris (Morecambe & Lunesdale)

    James Morris (Halesowen & Rowley Regis)

    Bob Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst)

    Caroline Nokes (Romsey & Southampton North)

    David Nuttall (Bury North)

    Stephen O’Brien (Eddisbury)

    Matthew Offord (Hendon)

    Jim Paice (Cambridgeshire South East)

    Neil Parish (Tiverton & Honiton)

    Priti Patel (Witham)

    Owen Paterson (Shropshire North)

    Mark Pawsey (Rugby)

    Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead)

    Mark Pritchard (Wrekin, The)

    John Randall (Uxbridge & Ruislip South)

    John Redwood (Wokingham)

    Jacob Rees-Mogg (Somerset North East)

    Simon Reevell (Dewsbury)

    Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington)

    Andrew Robathan (Leicestershire South)

    Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury)

    Andrew Rosindell (Romford)

    David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds)

    David Rutley (Macclesfield)

    Andrew Selous (Bedfordshire South West)

    Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet & Rothwell)

    Sir Richard Shepherd (Aldridge-Brownhills)

    Henry Smith (Crawley)

    Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling)

    John Stevenson (Carlisle)

    Bob Stewart (Beckenham)

    Mel Stride (Devon Central)

    Julian Sturdy (York Outer)

    Robert Syms (Poole)

    Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth & Horncastle)

    David Tredinnick (Bosworth)

    Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight)

    Shailesh Vara (Cambridgeshire North West)

    Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes)

    Ben Wallace (Wyre & Preston North)

    Robert Walter (Dorset North)

    James Wharton (Stockton South)

    Heather Wheeler (Derbyshire South)

    Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley)

    John Whittingdale (Maldon)

    Bill Wiggin (Herefordshire North)

    Gavin Williamson (Staffordshire South)

    Jeremy Wright (Kenilworth & Southam)

    22 Labour MPs

    Joe Benton (Bootle)

    Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley)

    Tom Clarke (Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill)

    Rosie Cooper (Lancashire West)

    David Crausby (Bolton North East)

    Tony Cunningham (Workington)

    Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton)

    Brian Donohoe (Ayrshire Central)

    Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South)

    Mary Glindon (Tyneside North)

    Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe & Sale East)

    Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney)

    Michael McCann (East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow)

    Jim McGovern (Dundee West)

    Iain McKenzie (Inverclyde)

    George Mudie (Leeds East)

    Paul Murphy (Torfaen)

    Stephen Pound (Ealing North)

    Frank Roy (Motherwell & Wishaw)

    Jim Sheridan (Paisley & Renfrewshire North)

    Derek Twigg (Halton)

    Mike Wood (Batley & Spen)

    4 Lib Dem MPs

    Sir Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed)

    Gordon Birtwistle (Burnley)

    John Pugh (Southport)

    Sarah Teather (Brent Central)

    Others

    8 DUP:

    Gregory Campbell (Londonderry East)

    Nigel Dodds (Belfast North)

    Jeffrey Donaldson (Lagan Valley)

    The Rev William McCrea (Antrim South)

    Ian Paisley Jr (Antrim North)

    Jim Shannon (Strangford)

    David Simpson (Upper Bann)

    Sammy Wilson (Antrim East)

    2 independents:

    Nadine Dorries (Bedfordshire Mid)

    Lady Sylvia Hermon (Down North)

    In favour

    127 Conservatives

    Stuart Andrew (Pudsey)

    Greg Barker (Bexhill & Battle)

    John Baron (Basildon & Billericay)

    Gavin Barwell (Croydon Central)

    Richard Benyon (Newbury)

    Crispin Blunt (Reigate)

    Nick Boles (Grantham & Stamford)

    Peter Bottomley (Worthing West)

    Karen Bradley (Staffordshire Moorlands)

    James Brokenshire (Old Bexley & Sidcup)

    Aidan Burley (Cannock Chase)

    Conor Burns (Bournemouth West)

    Alistair Burt (Bedfordshire North East)

    Dan Byles (Warwickshire North)

    David Cameron (Witney)

    Neil Carmichael (Stroud)

    James Clappison (Hertsmere)

    Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells)

    Kenneth Clarke (Rushcliffe)

    Damian Collins (Folkestone & Hythe)

    Oliver Colville (Plymouth Sutton & Devonport)

    Tracey Crouch (Chatham & Aylesford)

    Stephen Dorrell (Charnwood)

    James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East)

    Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton)

    Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford & Woodford Green)

    Michael Ellis (Northampton North)

    Jane Ellison (Battersea)

    Michael Fabricant (Lichfield)

    Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster)

    Mike Freer (Finchley & Golders Green)

    Lorraine Fullbrook (South Ribble)

    David Gauke (Hertfordshire South West)

    Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton)

    Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park)

    Michael Gove (Surrey Heath)

    Richard Graham (Gloucester)

    Helen Grant (Maidstone & The Weald)

    Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell)

    Damian Green (Ashford)

    Justine Greening (Putney)

    Ben Gummer (Ipswich)

    Sam Gyimah (Surrey East)

    William Hague (Richmond (Yorks))

    Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon)

    Matthew Hancock (Suffolk West)

    Greg Hands (Chelsea & Fulham)

    Mark Harper (Forest of Dean)

    Richard Harrington (Watford)

    Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry)

    Charles Hendry (Wealden)

    Nick Herbert (Arundel & South Downs)

    Damian Hinds (Hampshire East)

    George Hollingbery (Meon Valley)

    Kris Hopkins (Keighley)

    John Howell (Henley)

    Jeremy Hunt (Surrey South West)

    Margot James (Stourbridge)

    Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove)

    Bernard Jenkin (Harwich & Essex North)

    Jo Johnson (Orpington)

    Andrew Jones (Harrogate & Knaresborough)

    Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham)

    Simon Kirby (Brighton Kemptown)

    Andrew Lansley (Cambridgeshire South)

    Jessica Lee (Erewash)

    Oliver Letwin (Dorset West)

    Brandon Lewis (Great Yarmouth)

    Peter Luff (Worcestershire Mid)

    Jason McCartney (Colne Valley)

    Mary Macleod (Brentford & Isleworth)

    Patrick McLoughlin (Derbyshire Dales)

    Francis Maude (Horsham)

    Theresa May (Maidenhead)

    Mark Menzies (Fylde)

    Maria Miller (Basingstoke)

    Nigel Mills (Amber Valley)

    Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield)

    Penny Mordaunt (Portsmouth North)

    Stephen Mosley (Chester, City of)

    David Mowat (Warrington South)

    David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale)

    Andrew Murrison (Wiltshire South West)

    Brooks Newmark (Braintree)

    Sarah Newton (Truro & Falmouth)

    Eric Ollerenshaw (Lancaster & Fleetwood)

    Guy Opperman (Hexham)

    George Osborne (Tatton)

    Richard Ottaway (Croydon South)

    John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare)

    Andrew Percy (Brigg & Goole)

    Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar)

    Chris Pincher (Tamworth)

    Daniel Poulter (Suffolk Central & Ipswich North)

    Dominic Raab (Esher & Walton)

    Mark Reckless (Rochester & Strood)

    Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Kent Mid)

    Amber Rudd (Hastings & Rye)

    Laura Sandys (Thanet South)

    Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield)

    Alok Sharma (Reading West)

    Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness)

    Keith Simpson (Broadland)

    Chris Skidmore (Kingswood)

    Chloe Smith (Norwich North)

    Julian Smith (Skipton & Ripon)

    Nicholas Soames (Sussex Mid)

    Anna Soubry (Broxtowe)

    Caroline Spelman (Meriden)

    Andrew Stephenson (Pendle)

    Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South)

    Rory Stewart (Penrith & The Border)

    Desmond Swayne (New Forest West)

    Hugo Swire (Devon East)

    Justin Tomlinson (Swindon North)

    Elizabeth Truss (Norfolk South West)

    Ed Vaizey (Wantage)

    Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet)

    Charles Walker (Broxbourne)

    Robin Walker (Worcester)

    Dame Angela Watkinson (Hornchurch & Upminster)

    Mike Weatherley (Hove)

    Chris White (Warwick & Leamington)

    David Willetts (Havant)

    Sarah Wollaston (Totnes)

    Tim Yeo (Suffolk South)

    Sir George Young (Hampshire North West)

    217 Labour MPs

    Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington)

    Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East & Saddleworth)

    Bob Ainsworth (Coventry North East)

    Douglas Alexander (Paisley & Renfrewshire South)

    Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East)

    Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green & Bow)

    Graham Allen (Nottingham North)

    Dave Anderson (Blaydon)

    Mr Jon Ashworth (Leicester South)

    Ian Austin (Dudley North)

    Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West)

    Willie Bain (Glasgow North East)

    Ed Balls (Morley & Outwood)

    Gordon Banks (Ochil & Perthshire South)

    Kevin Barron (Rother Valley)

    Hugh Bayley (York Central)

    Dame Margaret Beckett (Derby South)

    Hilary Benn (Leeds Central)

    Luciana Berger (Liverpool Wavertree)

    Clive Betts (Sheffield South East)

    Roberta Blackman-Woods (Durham, City of)

    Hazel Blears (Salford & Eccles)

    Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South & Cleveland East)

    Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central)

    David Blunkett (Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough)

    Ben Bradshaw (Exeter)

    Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West)

    Lyn Brown (West Ham)

    Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East)

    Russell Brown (Dumfries & Galloway)

    Chris Bryant (Rhondda)

    Karen Buck (Westminster North)

    Richard Burden (Birmingham Northfield)

    Andy Burnham (Leigh)

    Liam Byrne (Birmingham Hodge Hill)

    Alan Campbell (Tynemouth)

    Martin Caton (Gower)

    Sarah Champion (Rotherham)

    Jenny Chapman (Darlington)

    Katy Clark (Ayrshire North & Arran)

    Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley)

    Vernon Coaker (Gedling)

    Ann Coffey (Stockport)

    Michael Connarty (Linlithgow & Falkirk East)

    Yvette Cooper (Normanton, Pontefract & Castleford)

    Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North)

    Mary Creagh (Wakefield)

    Stella Creasy (Walthamstow)

    Jon Cruddas (Dagenham & Rainham)

    John Cryer (Leyton & Wanstead)

    Jim Cunningham (Coventry South)

    Margaret Curran (Glasgow East)

    Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe)

    Simon Danczuk (Rochdale)

    Alistair Darling (Edinburgh South West)

    Wayne David (Caerphilly)

    Ian Davidson (Glasgow South West)

    Geraint Davies (Swansea West)

    Gloria De Piero (Ashfield)

    John Denham (Southampton Itchen)

    Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras)

    Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline & Fife West)

    Frank Doran (Aberdeen North)

    Stephen Doughty (Cardiff South & Penarth)

    Jim Dowd (Lewisham West & Penge)

    Gemma Doyle (Dunbartonshire West)

    Jack Dromey (Birmingham Erdington)

    Michael Dugher (Barnsley East)

    Angela Eagle (Wallasey)

    Maria Eagle (Garston & Halewood)

    Clive Efford (Eltham)

    Julie Elliott (Sunderland Central)

    Louise Ellman (Liverpool Riverside)

    Natascha Engel (Derbyshire North East)

    Chris Evans (Islwyn)

    Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme)

    Frank Field (Birkenhead)

    Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar & Limehouse)

    Caroline Flint (Don Valley)

    Paul Flynn (Newport West)

    Yvonne Fovargue (Makerfield)

    Hywel Francis (Aberavon)

    Mike Gapes (Ilford South)

    Barry Gardiner (Brent North)

    Sheila Gilmore (Edinburgh East)

    Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland)

    Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen & Hamilton West)

    Kate Green (Stretford & Urmston)

    Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South)

    Nia Griffith (Llanelli)

    Andrew Gwynne (Denton & Reddish)

    Peter Hain (Neath)

    David Hamilton (Midlothian)

    Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East)

    David Hanson (Delyn)

    Harriet Harman (Camberwell & Peckham)

    Tom Harris (Glasgow South)

    John Healey (Wentworth & Dearne)

    Mark Hendrick (Preston)

    Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow)

    Meg Hillier (Hackney South & Shoreditch)

    Julie Hilling (Bolton West)

    Margaret Hodge (Barking)

    Sharon Hodgson (Washington & Sunderland West)

    Kate Hoey (Vauxhall)

    Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North)

    George Howarth (Knowsley)

    Tristram Hunt (Stoke-on-Trent Central)

    Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore)

    Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Kilburn)

    Sian James (Swansea East)

    Cathy Jamieson (Kilmarnock & Loudoun)

    Major Dan Jarvis (Barnsley Central)

    Alan Johnson (Hull West & Hessle)

    Diana Johnson (Hull North)

    Graham Jones (Hyndburn)

    Helen Jones (Warrington North)

    Kevan Jones (Durham North)

    Susan Elan Jones (Clwyd South)

    Dame Tessa Jowell (Dulwich & West Norwood)

    Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester Gorton)

    Barbara Keeley (Worsley & Eccles South)

    Elizabeth Kendall (Leicester West)

    Sadiq Khan (Tooting)

    David Lammy (Tottenham)

    Ian Lavery (Wansbeck)

    Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith)

    Christopher Leslie (Nottingham East)

    Ivan Lewis (Bury South)

    Andy Love (Edmonton)

    Ian Lucas (Wrexham)

    Steve McCabe (Birmingham Selly Oak)

    Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East)

    Gregg McClymont (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth & Kirkintilloch East)

    Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham & Morden)

    Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough)

    John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington)

    Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton South East)

    Alison McGovern (Wirral South)

    Anne McGuire (Stirling)

    Ann McKechin (Glasgow North)

    Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North)

    Fiona Mactaggart (Slough)

    Shabana Mahmood (Birmingham Ladywood)

    Seema Malhotra (Feltham & Heston)

    John Mann (Bassetlaw)

    Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South)

    Alan Meale (Mansfield)

    David Miliband (South Shields)

    Ed Miliband (Doncaster North)

    Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port & Neston)

    Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby)

    Madeleine Moon (Bridgend)

    Jessica Morden (Newport East)

    Graeme Morrice (Livingston)

    Grahame Morris (Easington)

    Meg Munn (Sheffield Heeley)

    Jim Murphy (Renfrewshire East)

    Ian Murray (Edinburgh South)

    Lisa Nandy (Wigan)

    Pamela Nash (Airdrie & Shotts)

    Fiona O’Donnell (East Lothian)

    Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

    Sandra Osborne (Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock)

    Albert Owen (Ynys Mon)

    Teresa Pearce (Erith & Thamesmead)

    Toby Perkins (Chesterfield)

    Bridget Phillipson (Houghton & Sunderland South)

    Lucy Powell (Manchester Central)

    Nick Raynsford (Greenwich & Woolwich)

    Jamie Reed (Copeland)

    Steve Reed (Croydon North)

    Rachel Reeves (Leeds West)

    Emma Reynolds (Wolverhampton North East)

    Jonathan Reynolds (Stalybridge & Hyde)

    Linda Riordan (Halifax)

    John Robertson (Glasgow North West)

    Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry North West)

    Steve Rotheram (Liverpool Walton)

    Lindsay Roy (Glenrothes)

    Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd)

    Joan Ruddock (Lewisham Deptford)

    Anas Sarwar (Glasgow Central)

    Andy Sawford (Corby)

    Alison Seabeck (Plymouth Moor View)

    Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield)

    Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)

    Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith)

    Andrew Smith (Oxford East)

    Angela Smith (Penistone & Stocksbridge)

    Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent)

    Owen Smith (Pontypridd)

    John Spellar (Warley)

    Jack Straw (Blackburn)

    Graham Stringer (Blackley & Broughton)

    Gisela Stuart (Birmingham Edgbaston)

    Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South)

    Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside)

    Gareth Thomas (Harrow West)

    Emily Thornberry (Islington South & Finsbury)

    Jon Trickett (Hemsworth)

    Karl Turner (Hull East)

    Stephen Twigg (Liverpool West Derby)

    Chuka Umunna (Streatham)

    Keith Vaz (Leicester East)

    Valerie Vaz (Walsall South)

    Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North)

    Tom Watson (West Bromwich East)

    Dave Watts (St Helens North)

    Alan Whitehead (Southampton Test)

    Chris Williamson (Derby North)

    Phil Wilson (Sedgefield)

    David Winnick (Walsall North)

    Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central)

    John Woodcock (Barrow & Furness)

    David Wright (Telford)

    Iain Wright (Hartlepool)

    44 Liberal Democrats

    Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey)

    Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington)

    Annette Brooke (Dorset Mid & Poole North)

    Jeremy Browne (Taunton Deane)

    Malcolm Bruce (Gordon)

    Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam)

    Lorely Burt (Solihull)

    Vincent Cable (Twickenham)

    Sir Menzies Campbell (Fife North East)

    Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland)

    Nick Clegg (Sheffield Hallam)

    Michael Crockart (Edinburgh West)

    Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton)

    Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale)

    Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green)

    Don Foster (Bath)

    Andrew George (St Ives)

    Stephen Gilbert (St Austell & Newquay)

    Duncan Hames (Chippenham)

    Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South)

    Sir Nick Harvey (Devon North)

    David Heath (Somerton & Frome)

    John Hemming (Birmingham Yardley)

    Simon Hughes (Bermondsey & Old Southwark)

    Mark Hunter (Cheadle)

    Julian Huppert (Cambridge)

    Norman Lamb (Norfolk North)

    David Laws (Yeovil)

    John Leech (Manchester Withington)

    Stephen Lloyd (Eastbourne)

    Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk)

    Tessa Munt (Wells)

    Alan Reid (Argyll & Bute)

    Dan Rogerson (Cornwall North)

    Bob Russell (Colchester)

    Adrian Sanders (Torbay)

    Sir Robert Smith (Aberdeenshire West & Kincardine)

    Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove)

    Ian Swales (Redcar)

    Jo Swinson (Dunbartonshire East)

    Steve Webb (Thornbury & Yate)

    Mark Williams (Ceredigion)

    Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire)

    Stephen Williams (Bristol West)

    Simon Wright (Norwich South)

    Others

    3 Plaid Cymru MPs:

    Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr)

    Elfyn Llwyd (Dwyfor Meirionnydd)

    Hywel Williams (Arfon)

    Green MP Caroline Lucas (Brighton Pavilion)

    The Social Democratic and Labour Party’s Mark Durkan (Foyle)

    Alliance MP Naomi Long (Belfast East)

    Independent Eric Joyce (Falkirk)

    Respect’s George Galloway (Bradford West)

    Registered abstention (by voting both in favour and against)

    5 Conservatives

    Angie Bray (Ealing Central and Acton)

    Andrea Leadsom (South Northamptonshire)

    Phillip Lee (Bracknell)

    Charlotte Leslie (Bristol North West)

    Rob Wilson (Reading East)