Finance Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading
112Ayes
333Noes
Defeated · majority 221 · Government won202 did not vote
647 Members · Aye 112 · No 333 · DNV 202 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
Division 1875, 27 November 2024 The House of Commons voted on a Conservative "reasoned amendment" to the Finance Bill, which is the legislation implementing the Labour government's October 2024 Budget. A reasoned amendment at Second Reading is a procedural device that allows the opposition to formally object to a bill and state its reasons, effectively asking the House to refuse the bill its first major vote. The amendment was defeated by 333 votes to 112, meaning the Finance Bill passed its Second Reading and continued through Parliament. The Finance Bill translates the Budget's tax and spending decisions into law. The Conservative amendment aimed to block or delay measures including rises in employer National Insurance contributions, changes to inheritance tax, and other tax increases announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Defeating the amendment cleared the path for these measures to proceed towards becoming law, affecting employers across the economy, farmers, businesses, and individuals subject to the new inheritance tax rules. The vote represented the first formal parliamentary test of the government's flagship economic programme. The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. All 296 Labour MPs and 30 Labour and Co-operative MPs who voted opposed the amendment, while all 96 voting Conservatives supported it. Reform UK's seven MPs and two DUP members also voted with the Conservatives to block the Budget. Six independents voted to block the bill, while three voted against the amendment alongside the Greens. The defeat was never in doubt given Labour's substantial Commons majority, but the debate gave the opposition its first sustained opportunity to challenge the Budget's central economic arguments in a formal parliamentary setting.
Voting Aye meant
Support blocking the Finance Bill, arguing the Budget's tax rises — including the energy profits levy increase — would harm investment, jobs and economic growth
Voting No meant
Support the Finance Bill and the October 2024 Budget, backing measures to restore fiscal stability, fund public services and invest in clean energy transition
Each row is one party. The stacked bar gives the within-party split of Aye / No / Absent; the columns on the right give the raw counts. The whip column shows the published party position — “Free vote” means the whip was formally removed for this division.
Party
Whip
Aye / No / Abs
Aye
No
Abs
Labour Party
Whipped No
0
296
65
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped Aye
96
0
20
Liberal Democrats
—
0
0
72
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped No
0
30
12
Independent
—
5
3
6
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
Whipped Aye
7
0
0
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
—
2
0
3
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped No
0
4
0
Plaid Cymru
—
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
0
0
2
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
1
0
0
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
1
0
0
Ulster Unionist Party
—
1
0
0
Your Party
—
0
1
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
Finance Bill implements manifesto commitments on tax fairness, closes loopholes, protects working people, and delivers £12.7bn from non-dom reforms and other measures to fund public services.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (5,148 words) →
Finance Bill is built on Labour's election deceit about taxes; breaks promises on national insurance, farmers' inheritance tax, and pensions; creates growth-destroying policies that will lead to highest tax burden in UK history.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (2,976 words) →
While some measures are welcome (oil/gas levy, NHS investment), government should have reversed bank tax cuts and digital services tax; family farm inheritance tax is badly designed and should be reconsidered with genuine family farm test.Liberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (1,140 words) →
Bill corrects 14 years of Conservative economic vandalism; measures on stamp duty for second homes, non-dom loophole closure, and tax gap enforcement are fair and necessary to fix broken economy.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,647 words) →
Budget makes economy vulnerable and brittle; breaks multiple manifesto pledges; will reduce growth and living standards; creates weak foundation for future economic shocks.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (3,090 words) →
Budget addresses £22bn black hole left by Conservatives; measures rebalance tax system, protect working people, and raise revenue desperately needed for public services and growth investment.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,332 words) →
National insurance increases and business rates changes will force small business closures on high streets; employers cannot absorb additional costs on top of minimum wage hikes and other pressures.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (580 words) →
First female Chancellor Rachel Reeves shows leadership; Labour government committed to NHS, fairness, and making people better off after 14 years of Conservative decline.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,749 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0