Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 11

Parliament voted on 22 June 2026 on New Clause 11, a proposed addition to the Armed Forces Bill at Report Stage. The clause was defeated by 391 votes to 104. The available Hansard record does not set out the precise text of New Clause 11, but debate contributions link it to the legal environment in which armed forces personnel operate, alongside related concerns about ensuring Parliament recognises the exceptional circumstances of military service. The vote blocks the addition of New Clause 11 to the Armed Forces Bill. Speakers who supported it, including Conservative MP Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, framed it as part of a cluster of amendments united by a concern that service personnel face legal uncertainty arising from operational duties, and that Parliament has an obligation to address that. Without its inclusion, the bill proceeds without whatever additional legal framework the clause would have provided for personnel in that context. The division split almost entirely along party lines. All 91 Conservative votes were cast in favour, joined by 6 Reform UK MPs, 5 Democratic Unionist Party MPs, and 2 independents. Labour, Labour and Co-operative, Liberal Democrat, Green, and Plaid Cymru MPs voted against, producing the 391-vote majority that defeated it. The Conservative shadow defence spokesman Mark Francois introduced the clause as part of a package that included amendments 3, 4, 5, and 11. The vote took place during Armed Forces Week, the same day that related amendments including New Clause 4 and Amendment 11 were also defeated at Report Stage.