National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee: Amendment 8

Parliament voted on Amendment 8 to the National Security (State Threats) Bill on 17 June 2026, during the bill's committee stage taken on the floor of the House. The amendment was defeated by 249 votes to 143. The bill itself is described by the government as responding to a growing threat from hostile state actors, with the director general of MI5 having reported that the number of individuals under investigation for state threat activity had grown by more than a third in a single year. The National Security (State Threats) Bill expands government powers to counter foreign interference and transnational repression on British soil. The bill's supporters argue these new powers are necessary to protect dissidents, diaspora communities, and others targeted by foreign regimes. Critics in the debate raised concerns that the bill increases executive power without a commensurate increase in parliamentary oversight and accountability. The detailed content of Amendment 8 specifically is not set out in the available record, but it was one of several amendments tested in the same session alongside amendments 3, 13, and New Clause 3, all of which were also defeated. The vote divided sharply along party lines. Conservative MPs provided 79 of the 143 ayes, and the Liberal Democrats contributed 56, with smaller parties including Plaid Cymru and one DUP MP also voting in favour. Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs voted unanimously against, providing 247 of the 249 noes. No Conservative or Liberal Democrat MPs voted against the amendment, and no Labour MPs voted for it. The Scottish National Party had no votes recorded on either side.