English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: Motion to disagree with Lords Amendments 89B and 89C

The House of Commons voted on 27 April 2026 to disagree with Lords Amendments 89B and 89C to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, passing the motion by 273 votes to 167. The vote was part of a parliamentary process known as "ping pong," in which the Commons and Lords exchange amendments until both chambers agree on the final text of the bill. Lords Amendments 89B and 89C had sought to modify provisions in the bill relating to devolution and community empowerment in England. By voting to disagree, the Commons rejected those changes and will return the bill to the Lords with its own preferred version of those clauses. The bill as a whole reshapes how power is distributed across England, giving mayors and local authorities new responsibilities, and the precise wording of individual clauses can significantly affect how much autonomy local bodies gain and how accountability is structured. ** The vote divided cleanly along government and opposition lines. All 270 Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs who voted supported the motion; Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens, and smaller parties voted against. No Labour rebels appeared in the voting record. This result was consistent with four other divisions on the same bill held on the same day and on 21 April, all of which the government won by similar margins, suggesting disciplined government management of a contentious piece of legislation during its final parliamentary stages.