Tag Archives: abstentions

Recording abstentions

Lord Norton 10/02/2011 – 10:59 am

When a vote is held in the Lords, there is no means of recording abstentions.  It is far from uncommon for peers who disagree with their own side to absent themselves from a division.  However, when a peer's name does not appear in the division list,  it is usually impossible to know whether that peer is unavoidably absent (abroad, on a train, or whatever) or is present in the House but makin […]

Written at 10:59 am on 10/02/2011, by Lord Norton


Also tagged:

Comments (16)

Abstaining from voting

Lord Norton 20/07/2010 – 11:00 am

When a vote is called, peers can vote Content or Not Content.  The voting figures do not always correspond with how many peers are present.  On occasion, some members abstain from voting.  The reason the Government lost a vote last week on the Academies Bill was because of a combination of some Liberal Democrat peers abstaining and cross-bench peers dividing disproportionately against the Gover […]

Written at 11:00 am on 20/07/2010, by Lord Norton


Also tagged: ,

Comments (28)

Should abstentions be recorded?

Lord Norton 24/06/2008 – 9:04 pm

When MPs and peers vote, they enter lobbies on either side of the chamber and their names are published as voting either 'Aye' or 'No' (MPs) or 'Content' or 'Not Content' (peers).  People outside Parliament thus know how members have voted: it is also a useful resource for researchers, as it facilitates analysis of voting behaviour.  However, abstentions are not recorded.  A member may delib […]

Written at 9:04 pm on 24/06/2008, by Lord Norton


Also tagged: , ,

Comments (7)