Opposition Day: UK-EU Summit: Government amendment
321Ayes
102Noes
Carried · majority 219 · Government won224 did not vote
647 Members · Aye 321 · No 102 · DNV 224 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
Parliament voted on 13 May 2025 to pass a government amendment to an opposition-led motion on the UK-EU Summit, by 321 votes to 102. The government's amendment replaced or modified the original opposition text with Labour's preferred framing of the UK's approach to relations with the European Union. The result means Parliament endorsed the government's version of the motion rather than the opposition's. The vote was a procedural contest over language and framing rather than a change in law. Opposition Day motions do not themselves compel government action, but they carry political weight as statements of Parliament's view. The government tabled its own amendment to ensure that, if any motion passed, it reflected Labour's preferred account of the UK-EU relationship and its approach to the reset of post-Brexit ties, rather than the wording chosen by the opposition. Labour MPs voted unanimously in favour, providing the bulk of the 321 ayes. Conservative MPs voted against as a bloc, accounting for 93 of the 102 noes, with Reform UK adding 7 more. There were no notable cross-party rebellions. The SNP recorded no votes on either side. The result followed a separate division earlier the same day, Division 196, in which the original opposition motion was rejected by 402 votes to 104, meaning the government's amended version of the motion was the text that ultimately carried.
Voting Aye meant
Back the government's version of the motion on the UK-EU Summit, endorsing Labour's framing of the UK's approach to its relationship with the EU
Voting No meant
Reject the government amendment and prefer the original opposition motion's framing of the UK-EU Summit and post-Brexit relations
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 Aye
286
0
75
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
93
23
Liberal Democrats
—
0
0
71
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped Aye
30
0
12
Independent
—
3
2
8
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
Whipped No
0
7
1
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
—
0
1
4
Green Party of England and Wales
—
0
0
4
Plaid Cymru
—
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
1
0
1
Your Party
—
0
0
2
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
0
1
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
0
1
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
Conservative Party must maintain hard Brexit red lines: reject youth mobility schemes, dynamic alignment, ECJ jurisdiction, and new payments to EU; defend fishing rights and ensure NATO remains sole defence foundationConservative · Voted no · Read full speech (3,487 words) →
Government has clear mandate to reset UK-EU relationship on safety, security, and growth; will not rejoin single market or customs union or accept freedom of movement, but pragmatically negotiates to reduce trade barriers and strengthen defence cooperationLabour · Voted aye · Read full speech (3,522 words) →
Conservative motion offers no solutions; Labour's half-measures fall short; Liberal Democrats advocate bold four-step roadmap including eventual customs union and single market membership to unlock growthLiberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (2,940 words) →
Referendum result represents superior mandate to single-term election; concerns about European defence procurement favouring France/Germany; warns against dynamic alignment and ECJ jurisdictionConservative · Voted no · Read full speech (4,349 words) →
UK already has defence cooperation and owns significant military capabilities; government must explain what tangible benefits a new defence pact provides before agreeingConservative · Voted no · Read full speech (3,893 words) →
Government pragmatism replaces Conservative chaos; EU trade deal essential for growth; youth mobility scheme and defence partnership strengthen Britain without reversing BrexitLabour · Voted aye · Read full speech (2,583 words) →
Security and defence partnership with EU essential given Putin threat; cooperation with Europe strengthens rather than undermines UK securityLabour · Voted aye · Read full speech (3,306 words) →
Both government and opposition are hard Brexiteers; questions damage of Brexit and seeks commitment to youth mobility scheme for young peopleScottish National Party · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (159 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0