Despite the devastating impact the impending lockdown will have on English jobs and businesses, not one Labour MP had the guts to vote against it today. Ten abstained or were absent, including Graham Stringer and Derek Twigg, both of whom had earlier voiced opposition. Stringer, who represents Blackley and Broughton in Greater Manchester, said: "In order for us to take a decision in the round, we need figures for the economic catastrophe that is happening in my constituency. We simply don’t have the figures".
Many Tory backbenchers also spoke out against the lockdown, including Theresa May, but like Stringer and Twigg she was only prepared to abstain. However, 34 Tories did muster enough courage to vote against it. They were as follows...
Adam Afriyie (Windsor)
Peter Bone (Wellingborough)
Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West)
Steve Brine (Winchester)
Christopher Chope (Christchurch)
Philip Davies (Shipley)
Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon)
Jackie Doyle-Price (Thurrock)
Richard Drax (South Dorset)
Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford & Woodford Green)
Marcus Fysh (Yeovil)
Chris Green (Bolton West)
James Grundy (Leigh)
Mark Harper (Forest of Dean)
Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne & Sheppey)
David Jones (Clwyd West)
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham)
Craig Mackinlay (South Thanet)
Stephen McPartland (Stevenage)
Esther McVey (Tatton)
Huw Merriman (Bexhill & Battle)
Anne Marie Morris (Newton Abbot)
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead)
John Redwood (Wokingham)
Andrew Rosindell (Romford)
Henry Smith (Crawley)
Desmond Swayne (New Forest West)
Robert Syms (Poole)
Derek Thomas (St Ives)
Charles Walker (Broxbourne)
Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley)
William Wragg (Hazel Grove)
The tellers for the noes were Tory MPs Philip Hollobone (Kettering) and Steve Baker (Wycombe). Four members of the DUP also voted against (despite the lockdown not affecting Northern Ireland), as did Julian Lewis (New Forest East), who is currently suspended from the Conservatives.
The vote passed easily by 516-37. Of those in favour, 190 were Labour, 11 Lib Dem, one Green and the two suspended Labour members Claudia Webbe and Jeremy Corbyn. Quite why Corbyn is voting for lockdowns is anyone's guess, seeing as he doesn't normally pay any heed to Covid restrictions.
The lockdown commences at midnight, just in time to make thousands of people unemployed for Christmas. Thanks, Boris.
