England lockdown: Which MPs voted against new measures and why?

Prime minister Boris Johnson suffered a bigger-than-expected rebellion against four-week shutdown

MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of a four-week coronavirus lockdown in England which shut pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops and saw people urged to stay home.  

The result was announced in the chamber on Wednesday as 516 ayes to 38 noes – a government majority of 478.  While Tory loyalists and Labour both backed the measures – which came into effect on 5 November and last until 2 December – prime minister Boris Johnson suffered a bigger-than-expected rebellion.  

Some 32 Conservative MPs defied the whips to vote against the second national lockdown, with two more acting as tellers for the noes.  

A further four DUP MPs and one independent also voted against the measures.  

Former Tory prime minister Theresa May, who abstained, accused Mr Johnson of choosing data to fit his coronavirus policies, as she insisted the government must reveal the economic cost of lockdown.  

While the result was announced in the chamber as 38 noes, the division list later released by the Commons authorities sparked confusion as it only showed 37 names.  

The Independent understands the authorities are confident 38 MPs voted against and are working to identify the missing vote.  

Here is the list of every MP who voted against the second lockdown, and the reasons why Tory MPs rebelled.

Conservative MPs:  

Adam Afriyie (Windsor) Criticised previous measures as “destructive” and “morally wrong” after the announcement people who fail to self-isolate could face £10,000 fine  

Peter Bone (Wellingborough) Compared arguments for lockdown to Tony Blair's so-called "dodgy dossier" on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction  

Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West) Said the government was reaching too far into people’s private and family lives  

Steve Brine (Winchester) Believes the UK should focus on strict border controls with airport testing and test and trace rather than relying on a lockdown “that sees cycle of despair on repeat”  

Christopher Chope (Christchurch) Has previously said lockdowns in any form are the “wrong strategy” and accused the health secretary of “gross scaremongering”  

Philip Davies (Shipley) Accused Matt Hancock of “seemingly relishing the power of seeking to micromanage every aspect of everybody’s life” rather than building NHS capacity  

Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon) Wants to see more evidence of the lockdown’s chances of success and an explanation of why Cambridgeshire (tier 1) should be treated the same as high-risk areas  

Jackie Doyle-Price (Thurrock) Also voted against Labour’s motion for free school meals for children over the holidays  

Richard Drax (South Dorset) Said the first lockdown had already failed and criticised guidelines for visiting relatives in care homes  

Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green) Believes we should have continued with the tier system for longer, raising concerns over the effect on the economy, businesses and job losses  

Marcus Fysh (Yeovil) Criticised “one size fits all” lockdown approach and favoured regional restrictions  

Chris Green (Bolton West) Stated the economic problems second lockdown would cause did not justify the measures.  

James Grundy (Leigh) Called a total lockdown “destructive and devastating” back in October  

Mark Harper (Forest of Dean) Said he is "very strongly” in favour of the tier system and criticised data and modelling  

Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) Closed his Twitter account in 2012 after speaking out against the government's decision to redefine marriage for same-sex couples  

David Jones (Clwyd West) Accused the UK government of producing evidence that "is obsolete and therefore unreliable"  

Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) Said the science in favour of the lockdown “is questionable and the business case against it overwhelming”  

Craig Mackinlay (South Thanet) Does not believe “the human and financial cost” of another closedown of the economy has been properly considered  

Stephen McPartland (Stevenage) Cited concerns about mental health issues being forgotten along with the many workers who are still required to go to work  

Esther McVey (Tatton) Argued “the world cannot be put on hold” and lockdowns were having a “disastrous effects” on livelihoods and health  

Huw Merriman (Bexhill and Battle) Said government should have taken more time to see whether regional lockdowns were working before shutting down other areas with low rates  

Anne Marie Morris (Newton Abbot) Said businesses could not afford another lockdown, and that she fears it is based on the assumption a vaccine is around the corner  

Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead) Said it was “illogical” to leave tiered system and feared for businesses  

John Redwood (Wokingham) Says laws cannot be framed to cover all the different circumstances in people’s home and work lives  

Andrew Rosindell (Romford) Described second lockdown as “terrible blow” and said he doesn’t believe “continuous lockdowns will solve anything”  

Henry Smith (Crawley) Previously said he had serious concerns second lockdown could be more damaging than impact of virus  

Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) Also said the second lockdown would do more damage than the virus, describing it as a “devastating act of self-harm"  

Robert Syms (Poole) Accused the government of “panicking” and “reacting too quickly”  

Derek Thomas (St Ives) Wanted the government to continue with the three-tier system, and maybe even introduce a fourth tier  

Charles Walker (Broxbourne) Accused the government of “criminalising” the freedom of association, to go about one’s business, to travel and to protest  

Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley) Said lockdown proposals were based on disputed evidence  

William Wragg (Hazel Grove) Claimed the lockdown would “impoverish society for a generation”  

Two Conservative tellers:  

Philip Hollobone (Kettering)  

Steve Baker (Wycombe)  

Democratic Unionist Party MPs:  

Paul Girvan (South Antrim)  

Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann)  

Ian Paisley (North Antrim)  

Sammy Wilson (East Antrim)  

Independent MP:  

Julian Lewis (New Forest East)