The parliamentary vote is how MPs decide on issues and laws. It’s a structured process that starts with the Speaker ‘putting a question’, and follows through to debate and decision-making. Mechanisms like closure and time allocation help limit debate duration, ensuring decisions are made quickly and effectively.
MPs who are elected to represent you in the House of Commons form the UK Government. The political party with the most MPs is known as the majority party and its leader becomes Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chooses who takes other senior positions in the Government, including Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary.
The rules of the House of Commons allow for MPs to express their views on a variety of issues that affect Cheltenham and the wider country. They can also ask questions of the government on matters that matter to them.
When a vote is due, the Speaker announces that there will be a division and all MPs must clear the lobbies to ensure their vote counts. This can take up to 10 minutes, and it’s important to note that the doors will lock once that time is over.
MPs are not obliged to participate in votes (though they are often encouraged by their whips). However, since January 2019, it has been possible for MPs who are pregnant or breastfeeding and MPs on clinical leave to claim proxy votes – allowing them to have someone else vote on their behalf during a division.
