English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: Motion to disagree with Lords Amendments 89B and 89C
273Ayes
167Noes
Carried · majority 106 · Government won209 did not vote
649 Members · Aye 273 · No 167 · DNV 209 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
Lords Amendments 89B and 89C would have embedded a "brownfield first" principle more firmly in the Bill, requiring that brownfield sites be prioritised for development before greenfield or green belt land. By rejecting those amendments, the Commons removed that specific statutory safeguard. The practical effect is that the Bill proceeds without a strengthened brownfield-priority clause, leaving planning decisions on site selection to be governed by existing policy frameworks, including the National Planning Policy Framework, rather than a new legislative requirement. Opponents of the government's position argued this leaves communities exposed to pressure from developers seeking to build on greenfield and so-called "grey belt" land, particularly in outer London and other areas where local authorities are under housing delivery targets. Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs voted unanimously in favour, providing 270 of the 273 aye votes. Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and several smaller parties voted against, and the division followed strict party lines with no notable rebels. This vote was one of several on the same evening: four related divisions on the Bill all passed by similar margins of roughly 270 to 170, indicating a disciplined government majority throughout. The Conservative opposition framed the Bill broadly as a centralising measure, while Liberal Democrats pressed for stronger brownfield protections and argued that without them, green belt land would face greater development pressure.
Voting Aye meant
Support the government's decision to override the Lords amendments and revert to the Commons' original version of the Bill
Voting No meant
Support retaining the Lords amendments to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Each row is one party. The stacked bar gives the within-party split of Aye / No / Absent; the columns on the right give the raw counts. The whip column shows the published party position — “Free vote” means the whip was formally removed for this division.
Party
Whip
Aye / No / Abs
Aye
No
Abs
Labour Party
Whipped Aye
245
0
116
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
95
21
Liberal Democrats
Whipped No
0
57
15
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped Aye
25
0
17
Independent
—
2
4
7
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
—
0
0
8
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
3
2
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped No
0
5
0
Plaid Cymru
—
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
1
0
1
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
1
0
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
0
1
0
Ulster Unionist Party
—
0
1
0
Your Party
—
0
1
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
Government minister defending concessions on rural/coastal affairs and parish councils while resisting statutory protections for brownfield and music venues, arguing devolution works best through local flexibility not central mandates.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (6,531 words) →
Opposition challenges the Bill as centralizing despite its devolution title; calls for brownfield prioritization, local consent for authority mergers, and stronger parish council protections to genuinely empower communities.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (1,665 words) →
Welcomes rural and coastal amendments but criticizes forced governance model changes and brownfield rejection as false devolution; demands real local choice and environmental protection.Liberal Democrat · Voted no · Read full speech (901 words) →
Backs agent of change principle for music venues to prevent legal harassment; supports statutory protection to avoid £50k+ defence costs for cultural venues threatened by residential development.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (765 words) →
Argues for local consent on mayoral powers and highlights Cornwall's national minority status under European conventions; calls for consultative, not directive, approach to devolution.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,279 words) →
Criticizes two-year delay on Secretary of State powers over combined authorities; demands permanent protections for Cornwall's national minority status and meaningful devolution.Labour · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (905 words) →
Advocates statutory agent of change protection for grassroots music venues; documents 350 closures and argues planning guidance alone is insufficient without enforcement and stronger NPPF language.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (2,059 words) →
Demands mandatory rather than consultative parish council inclusion in neighbourhood governance; argues 20% of country lacks democratic structures and Government amendment leaves gap unresolved.Labour · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (1,363 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0