Crime and Policing Bill: motion to agree with all remaining Lords Amendments

On 14 April 2026, MPs voted by 247 to 21 to accept a package of remaining Lords amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill. The motion passed comfortably, effectively approving a bundle of changes made by the House of Lords, including some the government had accepted outright and others it had negotiated alternatives for, covering areas from policing powers to civil liberties protections around freedom of thought, religion, and expression. The Crime and Policing Bill is a wide-ranging piece of legislation affecting how police operate, what powers they hold, and how criminal justice is administered across England and Wales. Passing this package of Lords amendments brings the Bill closer to receiving Royal Assent (becoming law). Some of the amendments touch directly on civil liberties, including protections for freedom of expression and religious belief, meaning the final shape of those provisions is now largely settled. The Democratic Unionist Party, Ulster Unionist Party, and Traditional Unionist Voice all voted in favour, reflecting cross-community support in Northern Ireland for the government's approach. The vote was overwhelmingly government-led, with 239 Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs voting in favour. The 21 votes against came almost entirely from within Labour's own ranks (15 Labour MPs), joined by three independents, three Plaid Cymru MPs, one Green, and one MP from Your Party. The Conservative Party, despite holding 116 seats, registered no votes on either side, abstaining entirely. The dissenters appear motivated by concern that civil liberties amendments, particularly those relating to freedom of thought, religion, and expression, were being waved through in a package vote without adequate individual scrutiny. This division sits within a broader ping-pong process (the back-and-forth between the Commons and Lords to reach agreement) that continued into later votes on 20 April 2026.