Finance (No. 2) Bill: Third Reading

Wednesday, 11 March 2026 · Division No. 449 · Commons

292Ayes

–

161Noes

Passed

196 MPs did not vote

leftGovernment wonPro Government Budget(Yes)Anti Government Budget(No)Pro Parliamentary Scrutiny(No)Pro Fiscal Expansion(Yes)

Voting Yes means

Support passing the government's Finance Bill into law, backing the Budget measures it contains

Voting No means

Oppose the Finance Bill and its Budget measures, or object to the irregular parliamentary procedure used

What happened: On 11 March 2026, the House of Commons passed the Finance (No. 2) Bill at Third Reading -- the final parliamentary stage before a bill passes to the House of Lords. Third Reading is the last opportunity MPs have to accept or reject a bill in its entirety, after all amendments have been debated and decided. The bill passed by 292 votes to 161, a government majority of 131.

Why it matters: The Finance (No. 2) Bill is the legislation that puts the government's autumn 2025 Budget into law. Passing it means the tax and spending measures announced by the Chancellor in November 2025 -- including changes to National Insurance, public service funding commitments, and increases to Air Passenger Duty -- now have legal effect. Media coverage in the weeks following the vote highlighted the practical impact for ordinary citizens, particularly the rise in Air Passenger Duty from April 2026, which will increase the cost of flights to popular holiday destinations including Spain, Greece and Turkey.

The politics: The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. All 286 Labour and Labour Co-operative MPs who voted backed the bill, while Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, the DUP and the Ulster Unionist Party all voted against. Four Green MPs voted with the government. The passage of the bill was not without drama -- the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, issued a public reprimand the following day over the behaviour of around half a dozen government members, including the Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip, who caused significant delays in the voting lobbies during this division.

How They Voted

Government position: Aye

Labour PartyWhipped Aye

256 Aye/0 No

Conservative and Unionist PartyWhipped No

0 Aye/94 No

Liberal DemocratsWhipped No

0 Aye/53 No

Labour and Co-operative PartyWhipped Aye

30 Aye/0 No

Reform UKWhipped No

0 Aye/7 No

Independent

3 Aye/3 No

Green Party of England and WalesWhipped Aye

4 Aye/0 No

Democratic Unionist Party

0 Aye/2 No

Traditional Unionist Voice

0 Aye/1 No

Ulster Unionist Party

0 Aye/1 No

What They Said in the Debate

James Wild

Conservative · North West Norfolk

Opposed

Opposes Bill's £66 billion tax rises, frozen thresholds affecting 1 million higher-rate taxpayers, inheritance tax on farms/businesses breaking PM pledge, and pension inheritance tax; argues measures stifle growth and break manifesto commitments.

Voted No

Sir Ashley Fox

Conservative · Bridgwater

Opposed

Challenges Government on £66 billion tax discrepancy versus manifesto promise of £7 billion; argues tax rises penalise hard-working people creating wealth while benefits spending rises to £406 billion.

Voted No

Mr Joshua Reynolds

Labour · Maidenhead

Questioning

Questions whether loan charge settlement excludes those who already settled, arguing retrospective application would simplify tax system and preserve future settlement credibility.

Voted No

Dan Tomlinson

Labour · Chipping Barnet

Supportive

Government minister defending amendments as technical clarifications and necessary measures to deliver economic stability, support public services, and control borrowing without raising main income tax rates or VAT.

Voted Aye

Chris Vince

Labour · Harlow

Supportive

Supports Government tax decisions as enabling NHS investment and reducing A&E waits; sees fiscal responsibility and public service investment as justifying measures.

Ms Stella Creasy

Labour · Walthamstow

Supportive

Strongly supports new clause 4 cracking down on tax avoidance finfluencers; argues online tax misinformation causes real financial harm to constituents, particularly vulnerable low-income groups following false advice.

Voted Aye

Related News

Air Passenger Duty Is Rising Again: What It Means for UK Travellers

caithness-business.co.uk31 MarHigh relevance

From April 2026, UK travellers will once again see an increase in Air Passenger Duty (APD), the tax applied to all flights departing from UK airports. While often hidden within ticket prices, APD plays a significant role in the overall cost of flying -- particularly for long-haul and premium travellers. At its core, APD is structured around distance and class of travel. Flights are grouped into bands based on how far they travel from London, with long-haul destinations such as the United States

Anyone flying to Spain, Greece or Turkey should book flights before April 1

Leicester Mercury29 MarHigh relevance

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Travellers considering booking flights from the UK ought to secure their tickets before Wednesday to dodge an approaching price hike. Air passenger duty (APD) is set to rise on 1 April, pushing up the cost of air travel. Since the duty is included in every airline ticket, carriers indicate the change will likely lead to increased fares on certain routes,

Anyone flying from UK should book flights before April 1

WalesOnline29 MarHigh relevance

Flights are about to get more expensive for UK travellers booking holidays to popular destinations Passengers considering booking flights from the UK should do so before Wednesday to dodge an upcoming price rise. Air passenger duty (APD) is set to increase on April 1, making air travel more costly. Since the duty is included in the price of each airline ticket, carriers indicate the change is likely to push up fares on certain routes, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin. The air passenger