Immigration and Asylum Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading

Parliament voted on 13 July 2026 on a reasoned amendment (a formal motion objecting to a bill before it proceeds) to the Second Reading of the Immigration and Asylum Bill. The amendment, tabled by Conservative MPs, sought to block the bill from advancing on the grounds set out in the motion. It was defeated by 358 votes to 97, with the bill itself subsequently passing its Second Reading by 264 votes to 90 in a separate division the same day. The vote determined whether the Immigration and Asylum Bill could proceed to its next parliamentary stage. A successful reasoned amendment would have prevented the bill from advancing to committee, where its detailed provisions are examined line by line. The bill's passage to committee means its policies on asylum and immigration will now be scrutinised and potentially amended, but the government's core legislative programme on this subject moves forward. The division split almost entirely along party lines. All 90 Conservative votes fell on the Aye side, joined by 6 Reform UK MPs and 2 independents, giving the amendment its 97 votes. Every Labour, Labour Co-operative, Liberal Democrat, SNP, Green, Plaid Cymru, and Your Party member who voted opposed it. The Conservatives and Reform UK, though both opposing the bill, represent different critiques: media coverage has focused on the bill attracting hostility from those who believe it is too restrictive and from those who believe it does not go far enough, though the specific grounds of the Conservative amendment are grounded in their formal objection to the bill's Second Reading motion.