Closure motion

What happened: On 16 May 2025, the House of Commons voted on a closure motion, a procedural device that ends ongoing debate and forces an immediate vote on the matter under discussion. The motion passed by 288 votes to 239. The vote took place in the context of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which was undergoing parliamentary ping-pong (the back-and-forth process between the Commons and Lords when the two chambers disagree on amendments).

Why it matters: By passing the closure motion, the Commons cut short debate and moved directly to a vote on the substantive issue before it. In practical terms, this prevented further parliamentary scrutiny of the Data (Use and Access) Bill at that stage, accelerating the bill's passage through Parliament. The bill concerns how data is collected, shared and used across public services and commercial settings, and affects a wide range of citizens, businesses and public bodies.

The politics: The government secured the closure with the support of Labour, Labour and Co-operative, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru and Green MPs voting predominantly in favour. Conservatives voted heavily against, joined by most Independents, the Democratic Unionist Party, and the majority of Reform UK members. The result reflects a government coalition broadly aligned with the Liberal Democrats on this legislation, with the official opposition and smaller unionist parties opposing the curtailment of debate. The vote sits within a sustained period of parliamentary activity on the Data (Use and Access) Bill, with several related divisions in the weeks immediately before and after, indicating a contested and protracted legislative process.