Closure motion

Parliament voted on a closure motion on 25 April 2025, a procedural device that, if passed, would have immediately ended debate and forced a direct vote on the matter under discussion. The motion was defeated by a substantial margin, with 12 votes in favour and 50 against.

The defeat of the closure motion meant that parliamentary debate on the underlying matter was allowed to continue rather than being cut short. Closure motions are relatively rare procedural tools, and their defeat signals that a majority of those present judged the discussion had not yet run its course. The practical effect was to preserve more time for parliamentary scrutiny of whatever policy or legislative question was being debated.

The voting split along notable lines. The Scottish National Party provided the largest bloc of Aye votes, with 9 of their members supporting an end to debate, joined by 3 Conservatives, 1 Green, and 1 Independent. Labour and Labour and Co-operative members voted overwhelmingly against the closure motion, providing 51 of the 50 No votes between them, with a further Independent also voting No. The vote sits within a broader context of procedural activity in the chamber during this period, with related divisions on matters including the Data Use and Access Bill appearing in the weeks following.