Support 100 years of independent journalism.

  1. Politics
29 June 2017updated 12 Jul 2017 8:23am

How many times has the government been defeated in Parliament?

A list of the number of times the government has retreated or been defeated in the Commons.

By Stephen Bush

I thought it might be useful – and fun – to count how many times the government is defeated in the House of Commons during this parliament, however long it lasts.

For my purposes, I am using a broader definition of defeat than Parliament’s recordkeepers use. They define a defeat as just that, a vote that the government doesn’t win. I will be counting those, but also votes that are pulled or U-Turns in advance of a defeat.

1) Amendment to the Queen’s Speech

Contents: For people in Northern Ireland to have the NHS meet the costs of their abortions in England. As the 1967 Abortion Act never included Northern Ireland, women must travel to the rest of the UK to exercise their reproductive rights. A recent court order found that the NHS does not have to pay the costs of doing so. This amendment overturned that ruling.

In order to head off defeat on an amendment brought by the Labour MP Stella Creasy, the government announced that it will meet the costs of those abortions.

Select and enter your email address Quick and essential guide to domestic and global politics from the New Statesman's politics team. The New Statesman’s global affairs newsletter, every Monday and Friday. Your new guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture each weekend - from the New Statesman. A weekly newsletter helping you fit together the pieces of the global economic slowdown. A newsletter showcasing the finest writing from the ideas section, covering political ideas, philosophy, criticism and intellectual history - sent every Wednesday. The New Statesman’s weekly environment email on the politics, business and culture of the climate and nature crises - in your inbox every Thursday. Sign up to receive information regarding NS events, subscription offers & product updates.
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.

2) Tainted blood