Civil Partnership Bill votes

The details

The Civil Partnership Bill extended all the legal rights and privileges of marriage to homosexual couples who register a ‘civil partnership’.¹ The Bill therefore created ‘gay marriage’ in all but name.

A vote on the Second Reading or the Third Reading of a Bill is a vote on the Bill in principle. Therefore, combined together, the votes cast on the Second and Third Readings show an MP’s position on the Civil Partnership Bill in principle.

On the 12^th October 2004 MPs voted on the on the general principle of the Civil Partnership Bill at its Second Reading. MPs voted for the Bill by 428 votes to 51.On the 9^th November 2004 MPs again voted on the on the general principle of the Civil Partnership Bill at its Third Reading. MPs voted by 391 to 49 for the Bill.

Conservative MPs had liberty to vote according to their conscience. Labour and the Liberal Democrats whipped their MPs to support the Bill. Only two Labour MPs (Jim Dobbin and Denzil Davies) voted against the Bill. No Liberal Democrat MPs did so.

The Bill applied to the whole of the UK.

How we recorded the vote

• Voted for the Civil Partnership Bill
• Voted against the Civil Partnership
• Abstained or was absent on the votes for the Second and Third Readings of the Civil Partnership Bill Abstained or was absent on the votes for the Second and Third Readings of the Civil Partnership Bill

Voting examples

An MP’s most recent vote has been taken to be their current position. So for an MP who cast a different vote at Third Reading to their vote at Second Reading, we have used the most recent vote, that of the Third Reading.

For example, Ian Liddell-Grainger voted for the Second Reading of the Bill, but against the Third Reading of the Bill. Our statement of his position gives his vote on Third Reading. Thus Ian Liddell-Grainger has the designation: Voted against the Civil Partnership Bill

For MPs who abstained or were absent on Third Reading, their vote on Second Reading is taken to be their current position.

For example, Diane Abbott was abstained or was absent on Third Reading of the Bill, but voted for the Bill at Second Reading. Our statement of her position gives her vote on Second Reading. Thus Diane Abbott has the designation: Voted for the Civil Partnership Bill

1. ¹The 2005 budget extended the tax benefits of marriage to those who enter a civil partnership.