Finance Bill Report Stage: New Clause 2
113Ayes
331Noes
Defeated · majority 218 · Government won202 did not vote
646 Members · Aye 113 · No 331 · DNV 202 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
Parliament voted on 3 March 2025 on New Clause 2 to the Finance Bill, which would have required the Chancellor to commission and publish an independent assessment of the energy profits levy increase within six months of the Act coming into force. The assessment would have covered the impact on domestic energy production and investment, UK energy security, energy prices, and the wider economy. The new clause was defeated by 331 votes to 113. The energy profits levy, sometimes called the windfall tax on oil and gas companies, was raised under the Finance Act 2025 from 35% to 38%, bringing the total headline rate on North Sea oil and gas activities to 78%, and its duration was extended. Supporters of the new clause argued that this decision put up to 35,000 jobs at risk and would reduce long-term tax revenues. The government argued the increase would raise £6 billion to fund public services, and that tax information and impact notes published alongside the Budget already provided sufficient analysis. The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. Every Conservative MP who voted, 93 in total, backed the new clause, along with 7 SNP MPs, 4 Plaid Cymru MPs, 4 Reform UK MPs, 3 DUP MPs, and a small number of others. Every Labour and Labour and Co-operative MP who voted, 322 in total, opposed it, joined by 4 Green MPs and 5 independents. There were no Labour rebels recorded. The new clause sits within a broader pattern of opposition challenges to the government's North Sea tax policy during the Finance Bill's passage.
Voting Aye meant
Support requiring the government to publish an impact assessment of the energy profits levy increase, citing concerns about damage to North Sea investment, energy security, and up to 35,000 jobs
Voting No meant
Oppose the new clause, arguing the levy raises £6 billion for public services and that sufficient analysis already exists through tax information and impact notes published at the Budget
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
285
76
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped Aye
93
0
23
Liberal Democrats
—
0
0
71
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped No
0
37
5
Independent
—
1
5
8
Scottish National Party
Whipped Aye
7
0
2
Reform UK
Whipped Aye
4
0
3
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
Whipped Aye
3
0
2
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped No
0
4
0
Plaid Cymru
Whipped Aye
4
0
0
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
0
0
2
Your Party
—
0
1
1
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
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
Opposes Finance Bill measures including state pension tax, energy profits levy hike, and VAT on independent schools; seeks impact reviews to expose harm to pensioners, businesses, and energy security.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (2,995 words) →
Supports Finance Bill as necessary to ensure economic growth benefits are shared fairly across all income levels, demographics, and regions; backs investments in skills, housing, and childcare.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,075 words) →
Seeks impact assessments on SMEs, households, alcohol duty impacts on distilleries/wine trade, and SEND pupils without EHCPs; opposes VAT on private schools but requests evidence of harm.Liberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (1,711 words) →
Defends Finance Bill as fixing an unfair tax system inherited from 14 years of Conservative government; argues most requested data already published; dismisses new clauses as duplicate work.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,061 words) →
Condemns Bill as breaking manifesto promises, punishing businesses through NI hikes, attacking farmers with inheritance tax, and stifling growth; calls for impact assessments of damage.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,064 words) →
Supports Bill's non-dom changes, energy profits levy, and VAT on private schools as fair taxation choices; backs long-term stability in energy markets alongside immediate price relief.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (864 words) →
Opposes VAT on private schools; warns of adverse impacts on SEND pupils and wine industry; criticises impractical alcohol duty regime creating 30 different duty rates for wine.Liberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (1,434 words) →
Supports new clauses 2, 7, 8 as impact assessments; warns of VAT harm to faith schools and distilleries in Northern Ireland; opposes NI contributions rise.DUP · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,123 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0