Opposition Day: Tax
165Ayes
342Noes
Defeated · majority 177 · Government won140 did not vote
647 Members · Aye 165 · No 342 · DNV 140 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
On 15 July 2025, the House of Commons voted on a Conservative opposition day motion on taxation policy. The motion was defeated by 342 votes to 165. Opposition day motions are set aside for parties other than the government to choose the topic of debate, and in this case the Conservatives used their allocated time to bring a motion criticising Labour's approach to tax or proposing an alternative. Although opposition day motions are not legally binding and do not change government policy if defeated, they serve as a formal parliamentary expression of the opposition's position on a major policy area. In this case, the motion concerned taxation, one of the most consequential areas of domestic policy, affecting businesses, workers, and households across the country. The defeat means the government's tax approach continues without parliamentary endorsement of an alternative. The vote divided largely along party lines. Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs voted unanimously against the motion, providing the bulk of the 342 no votes. On the aye side, Conservatives were joined by the Liberal Democrats, who contributed 61 votes, as well as the Democratic Unionist Party with 5, Reform UK with 4, and a small number of independents. The Greens voted with the government against the motion. The cross-opposition alliance in favour of the motion was not sufficient to overcome the government's majority.
Voting Aye meant
Support the opposition's position on tax — likely criticising Labour's tax rises (such as the employer National Insurance increase) and calling for a change in direction on taxation policy
Voting No meant
Reject the opposition's tax motion, backing the Labour government's current approach to taxation including measures introduced in the 2024 Autumn 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
303
58
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped Aye
92
0
24
Liberal Democrats
Whipped Aye
61
0
11
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped No
0
33
9
Independent
—
2
3
8
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
Whipped Aye
4
0
4
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
Whipped Aye
5
0
0
Green Party of England and Wales
—
0
2
2
Plaid Cymru
—
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
0
1
1
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
0
1
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
The Government has broken manifesto commitments by raising taxes on businesses and working people; the £25bn NI rise killed growth and cost families £3,500 in wages; proposed wealth taxes will drive talent abroad.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (3,023 words) →
The Government inherited a £22bn black hole and used tax changes fairly to stabilise finances and invest in public services; tax measures protect working people's pay slips while making the system fairer.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,914 words) →
The employer NI jobs tax is unfair and damages businesses; the Government should pursue growth through better trade deals and fair tax reforms on corporations and the wealthy rather than hitting small businesses.Liberal Democrat · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,623 words) →
The Conservatives left public finances in a shocking state; tax rises were necessary to invest in NHS, schools and security; the Opposition offers only wishful thinking with no credible plan.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,201 words) →
The Government is destroying the economy through excessive taxation that drives wealth creators away; the farming tax and broader tax assault are terrifying; we are heading towards 1970s-style economic crisis.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,891 words) →
The tax system was unfair; Labour's changes ensure the wealthy pay their share; the Government should further reform tax reliefs and consider a flat-rate pension relief model.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (2,336 words) →
The previous Conservative Government took difficult decisions to bring taxes down for growth; Labour has failed to control welfare spending, creating an unfunded commitment and deteriorating public finances.Conservative · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (97 words) →
The Conservatives inherited the worst economic conditions since WWII with 10% deficit; they tanked the economy; Labour is fixing the mess through responsible fiscal management and investment.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,451 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0