This was a bill vote on the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill. The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill creates a framework to address the Troubles’ legacy in Northern Ireland, establishing new legacy bodies and rules for investigations while aiming to balance accountability with fairness. It includes protections for veterans and security personnel, expands and clarifies victims’ rights, and introduces evidentiary and governance safeguards, plus funding and transparency duties. Amendments debated in committee seek to strengthen protections for service personnel, constrain who can be involved in the legacy process, and tighten due-process requirements.
•Creates a legacy framework with a Legacy Commission and an Director of Investigations (and related bodies) to examine Troubles-era activity with an emphasis on impartial, proportionate processes.
•Strengthens protections for veterans and security personnel: lawful actions by the Armed Forces or Crown servants are not treated as terrorism, and there are restrictions or vetting on appointing individuals with terrorist associations; several amendments would exclude certain candidates with terrorist links from legacy roles.
•Toughens evidentiary rules to aid fairness: requirements for admissible and credible evidence, attention to the age of evidence, and cross-examination considerations in investigations and proceedings.
•Expands and clarifies victims’ rights (including victims of sexual crimes) and defines 'victim' for the advisory group, enabling investigations where appropriate and ensuring a victim-centric approach.
The result
Motion passed
Margin: 103
279
176
Aye (61%)No (39%)
455 of 650 eligible MPs voted (70% turnout)
How each party voted
Labour (Co-op)
Voted for
269 aye0 no132 absent
Green Party
Voted for
4 aye0 no1 absent
Social Democratic & Labour Party
Voted for
2 aye0 no
Your Party
Voted for
1 aye0 no
Alliance
Voted for
1 aye0 no
Independent
Split
2 aye2 no9 absent
Who rebelled?
No MPs voted against their party on this division.
Why it matters
MPs approved a motion to carry the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill into the next parliamentary session, allowing continued debate and amendments. The vote was 279 in favour to 176 against. The bill would create a Legacy Commission, an Investigations Director, and stronger rights for victims, while clarifying that lawful state actions during the Troubles should not be treated as crimes; amendments sought to adjust safeguards and retrospective effects.
Carry-over keeps the bill alive into the next sessionBroad Commons support with a sizable marginAmendments touch on safeguards and retrospective effectsProvisions include a Legacy Commission and an Investigations Director
AI-generated context — may contain errors.
Turnout by party
70%
Social Democratic & Labour Party
2/2 (100%)
Ulster Unionist Party
1/1 (100%)
Democratic Unionist Party
5/5 (100%)
Traditional Unionist Voice
1/1 (100%)
Your Party
1/1 (100%)
Alliance
1/1 (100%)
Restore Britain
1/1 (100%)
Conservative
101/114 (89%)
What happens next?
The result of this vote determines whether the matter under consideration proceeds.
