Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Second Reading
320Ayes
105Noes
Carried · majority 215 · Government won222 did not vote
647 Members · Aye 320 · No 105 · DNV 222 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
Parliament voted on 18 November 2025 to give a Second Reading to the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, passing it by 320 votes to 105. A Second Reading is the first substantive vote on a bill in the Commons, approving its general principles and allowing it to proceed to detailed scrutiny. The Bill, introduced by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, would repeal and replace Part 2 of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, replacing that Act's contested framework with a reformed Legacy Commission, restored inquests, and new inquisitorial proceedings aimed at establishing how more than 3,500 people died during the Troubles between 1966 and 1998. The 2023 Act had been condemned across Northern Ireland's political parties and by victims' groups, primarily because it offered immunity from prosecution to those who co-operated with its review process, including individuals responsible for paramilitary killings. Courts struck down those immunity provisions. The new Bill removes immunity entirely, restructures the investigative body with stronger governance and a judicial panel, restores halted inquests, and puts on a statutory footing the cross-border information-retrieval body established jointly with the Irish Government. For the families of those killed, the legislation represents a renewed attempt to answer what Benn described as the simplest of questions: how did my loved one die? Labour MPs voted unanimously in favour, joined by the three Green MPs, two SDLP members, and a handful of independents. Every Conservative MP who voted opposed the Bill, as did all five DUP members, all seven Reform UK MPs, the Ulster Unionist representative, and one member of Restore Britain. No Labour or Co-operative Party MP voted against. The Bill passed comfortably on the strength of Labour's majority, but the opposition from all Unionist parties and the Conservatives signals that the Bill's passage through committee and report stage will face sustained scrutiny, particularly on the Omagh bombing exclusion and the retrospective validation of Interim Custody Orders.
Voting Aye meant
Support the new Labour approach to Northern Ireland legacy issues, which removes the condemned immunity provisions of the 2023 Act and creates stronger, more independent mechanisms to deliver truth and accountability for victims' families.
Voting No meant
Oppose the Bill at this stage, whether due to concerns that it goes too far, not far enough, or fails to address specific gaps — such as the exclusion of the Omagh bombing victims and the retrospective validation of Interim Custody Orders.
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
281
0
80
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
89
27
Liberal Democrats
—
0
0
71
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped Aye
32
0
10
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
Whipped No
0
5
0
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped Aye
3
0
1
Plaid Cymru
—
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
2
0
0
Your Party
—
0
0
2
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
1
0
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
0
1
0
Ulster Unionist Party
—
0
1
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
As Secretary of State, moved Second Reading. Defended the Bill as necessary replacement for the failed 2023 legacy Act; emphasised enhanced protections for veterans including protection from repeat investigations, remote evidence-giving, and anonymity; argued the Bill enables Irish Government co-operation and restores rule of law while offering no immunity.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (5,038 words) →
Moved reasoned amendment to reject Second Reading. Argued the Bill removes workable conditional immunity scheme, exposes veterans to vexatious prosecutions while paramilitaries escape justice, provides only illusory protections, and risks recruitment and morale; contended the 2023 Act was legally sound and should have been appealed rather than dropped.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (3,922 words) →
Welcomed intent to repeal the failed 2023 Act but argued the Bill does not go far enough on veteran protections; called for binding statutory safeguards including clearer presumption against repeated investigations, expanded duty on operational context, and enhanced parliamentary oversight before supporting Second Reading.Liberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (1,974 words) →
As veteran and backbencher, supported the Bill; rejected immunity as dangerous and weakening justice; defended the legislation's veteran protections as meaningful; argued previous focus on armed forces rather than paramilitaries was disproportionate but this Bill corrects that balance.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,096 words) →
Strongly opposed the Bill as persecution of patriotic soldiers; argued the process itself is punishment; attacked government for double standard—de facto amnesty given to 650 IRA terrorists under Blair, while 300,000 soldiers now face relentless legal pursuit; called for honouring armed forces rather than pursuing them.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (1,060 words) →
Raised concern that the Bill's date range excludes the Omagh bombing (August 1998), the largest atrocity of the Troubles; pressed Secretary of State on whether dates should be extended and whether Omagh families will have recourse.Democratic Unionist Party · Voted no · Read full speech (1,327 words) →
Chair of Northern Ireland Affairs Committee; welcomed the Bill's intent but highlighted that stakeholders felt 'listened to, not heard'; emphasised need for confidence-building; noted resourcing concerns for the new commission given expanded responsibilities including coronial cases.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,078 words) →
Raised concerns about Irish Government and Gardaí collusion in historical killings; pressed for assurance that justice will be delivered through the Bill; questioned whether Irish co-operation will be meaningful.Democratic Unionist Party · Voted no · Read full speech (253 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0