English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill Report Stage: New Clause 80

Parliament voted on 25 November 2025 on New Clause 80 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, a Conservative amendment that would have required the consent of all constituent councils before the Secretary of State could create, change, or dissolve a strategic authority. The amendment was defeated by 320 votes to 187. The vote concerned one of the Bill's most contested powers: the ability of ministers to impose new strategic authorities on local areas even without unanimous local agreement. Rejecting New Clause 80 means the government retains that power. In practical terms, local councils across England cannot veto a ministerial decision to restructure their area, merge authorities, or create a new mayoral combined authority above them. The populations of those councils are directly affected, since the structural changes determine which tier of government oversees planning, transport, economic development, and related services. Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs voted uniformly against the amendment, providing the 316 votes needed to defeat it comfortably. Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, the Democratic Unionist Party, the Green Party, and several independents all voted in favour, making it a rare cross-opposition alliance. The same day saw a closely related division, New Clause 69, defeated by an almost identical margin of 320 to 189, suggesting the opposition tested the consent principle more than once and failed on each occasion. The Bill passed its Third Reading the same day by 322 votes to 179, confirming broad government control of the legislation throughout.