Finance (No.2) Bill Committee: Clause 10 stand part

Monday, 12 January 2026 · Division No. 399 · Commons

324Ayes

–

180Noes

Passed

142 MPs did not vote

centreGovernment wonPro Government Finance Bill(Yes)Anti Tax Measure(No)Fiscal Responsibility(Yes)Opposition To Budget Measures(No)

Voting Yes means

Support Clause 10 remaining in the Finance Bill, backing the government's proposed tax or fiscal measure

Voting No means

Oppose Clause 10, seeking to remove this specific tax or fiscal provision from the Finance Bill

What happened: On 12 January 2026, MPs voted on whether Clause 10 of the Finance (No.2) Bill should remain part of the legislation. The motion passed by 324 votes to 180, meaning the clause stays in the Bill. The government, which supported keeping the clause, won comfortably.

Why it matters: Clause 10 forms part of the government's tax legislation package, advancing the fiscal measures set out in the Budget. A successful vote to remove it would have stripped a significant element from the Finance Bill, potentially blocking or delaying related tax policy. With the clause retained, the government can continue implementing its planned tax changes, which fall under the broader economic agenda centred on employer contributions and associated revenue-raising measures.

The politics: The vote divided sharply along party lines. All 322 Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs present voted in favour, while Conservatives (91), Liberal Democrats (63), Reform UK (6), the DUP (5), Plaid Cymru (4), and the Greens (4) all voted against. No major cross-party defections occurred on either side, though three Independents backed the government and five opposed it. This vote sits within a sustained period of parliamentary resistance to the government's national insurance and fiscal agenda, with several related divisions in March 2026 showing the government consistently defeating opposition in the Commons on employer contribution measures by similar margins.