As a result of COVID-19, some MPs have been less able to vote in Parliament, and this will be reflected in their voting record.
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- 11th May to 2nd June 2020
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All MPs could vote remotely through an online voting tool. Votes cast remotely are shown as normal on the TheyWorkForYou voting record.
- 2nd to 9th June 2020
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The option of online voting was removed, and a number of MPs may have been unable to vote because they were not physically able to attend.
- 10th June 2020 onwards
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The requirements on proxy voting were relaxed, allowing MPs to designate another MP to cast a vote on their behalf.
If an MP votes by proxy, it is effectively exactly the same as if they cast the vote in person and it shows up on their TheyWorkForYou voting record.
MPs are not required to designate a proxy, and may instead pair with an opposing MP to miss a vote. Parliament does not record when two MPs have come to a pairing arrangement, so on TheyWorkForYou, they will both appear to have been absent for the vote.
We will update this information if the situation changes. See more detail on votes during the COVID-19 period here.
How David Simpson voted on Social Issues #
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Almost always voted against equal gay rights Show votes
0 votes for, 10 votes against, 2 absences, between 2008–2019
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Almost always voted for smoking bans Show votes
7 votes for, 0 votes against, 1 absence, between 2006–2015
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Consistently voted against allowing marriage between two people of same sex Show votes
0 votes for, 7 votes against, between 2014–2019
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Voted a mixture of for and against laws to promote equality and human rights Show votes
2 votes for, 4 votes against, 11 absences, between 2013–2019
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Voted against allowing terminally ill people to be given assistance to end their life Show votes
0 votes for, 1 vote against, in 2015
Last updated: 18 July 2019.
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How David Simpson voted on Foreign Policy and Defence #
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Generally voted for use of UK military forces in combat operations overseas Show votes
3 votes for, 0 votes against, 4 absences, between 2011–2015
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Generally voted against investigations into the Iraq war Show votes
2 votes for, 3 votes against, 5 absences, between 2006–2016
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Generally voted for replacing Trident with a new nuclear weapons system Show votes
4 votes for, 0 votes against, 3 absences, between 2007–2016
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Generally voted against more EU integration Show votes
14 votes for, 94 votes against, 37 absences, between 2010–2019
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Generally voted for a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU Show votes
6 votes for, 0 votes against, 7 absences, between 2008–2016
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Generally voted for strengthening the Military Covenant Show votes
2 votes for, 0 votes against, 2 absences, between 2010–2012
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Generally voted against a right to remain for EU nationals already in living in the UK Show votes
1 vote for, 14 votes against, 3 absences, between 2016–2019
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Almost always voted against UK membership of the EU Show votes
1 vote for, 21 votes against, 2 absences, between 2016–2019
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Consistently voted for military action against ISIL (Daesh) Show votes
3 votes for, 0 votes against, between 2014–2015
Last updated: 15 July 2020.
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How David Simpson voted on Welfare and Benefits #
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Voted a mixture of for and against reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the "bedroom tax") Show votes
1 vote for, 4 votes against, 13 absences, between 2012–2018
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Generally voted for raising welfare benefits at least in line with prices Show votes
2 votes for, 0 votes against, 3 absences, in 2013
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Generally voted for paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability Show votes
8 votes for, 0 votes against, 7 absences, between 2015–2016
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Consistently voted for making local councils responsible for helping those in financial need afford their council tax and reducing the amount spent on such support Show votes
4 votes for, 0 votes against, in 2012
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Generally voted against a reduction in spending on welfare benefits Show votes
6 votes for, 28 votes against, 20 absences, between 2012–2016
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Generally voted for spending public money to create guaranteed jobs for young people who have spent a long time unemployed Show votes
3 votes for, 1 vote against, 5 absences, between 2011–2014
Last updated: 8 May 2018.
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How David Simpson voted on Taxation and Employment #
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Voted a mixture of for and against raising the threshold at which people start to pay income tax Show votes
4 votes for, 9 votes against, 16 absences, between 2015–2018
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Generally voted against increasing the rate of VAT Show votes
1 vote for, 6 votes against, 20 absences, between 2010–2019
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Voted a mixture of for and against higher taxes on alcoholic drinks Show votes
7 votes for, 6 votes against, 9 absences, between 2010–2017
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Generally voted against higher taxes on plane tickets Show votes
2 votes for, 5 votes against, 4 absences, between 2013–2017
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Voted a mixture of for and against lower taxes on fuel for motor vehicles Show votes
2 votes for, 3 votes against, 11 absences, between 2010–2013
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Generally voted for increasing the tax rate applied to income over £150,000 Show votes
5 votes for, 1 vote against, 6 absences, between 2012–2015
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Voted a mixture of for and against encouraging occupational pensions Show votes
1 vote for, 2 votes against, 1 absence, between 2010–2011
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Voted for automatic enrolment in occupational pensions Show votes
1 vote for, 0 votes against, 1 absence, in 2010
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Generally voted for a banker’s bonus tax Show votes
6 votes for, 0 votes against, 12 absences, between 2011–2015
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Generally voted against higher taxes on banks Show votes
1 vote for, 8 votes against, 6 absences, between 2013–2018
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Voted for an annual tax on the value of expensive homes (popularly known as a mansion tax) Show votes
1 vote for, 0 votes against, 3 absences, in 2013
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Generally voted against allowing employees to exchange some employment rights for shares in the company they work for Show votes
0 votes for, 3 votes against, 2 absences, between 2012–2013
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Generally voted for more restrictive regulation of trade union activity Show votes
6 votes for, 0 votes against, 6 absences, between 2008–2017
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Generally voted for reducing capital gains tax Show votes
3 votes for, 1 vote against, 5 absences, between 2013–2016
Last updated: 25 June 2019.
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How David Simpson voted on Business and the Economy #
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Generally voted against reducing the rate of corporation tax Show votes
2 votes for, 12 votes against, 12 absences, between 2014–2016
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Voted a mixture of for and against measures to reduce tax avoidance Show votes
5 votes for, 3 votes against, 4 absences, between 2013–2018
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Voted a mixture of for and against stronger tax incentives for companies to invest in assets Show votes
3 votes for, 3 votes against, 8 absences, between 2010–2014
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Generally voted for new high speed rail infrastructure Show votes
2 votes for, 0 votes against, 6 absences, between 2014–2019
Last updated: 1 July 2020.
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How David Simpson voted on Health #
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Generally voted for restricting the provision of services to private patients by the NHS Show votes
4 votes for, 0 votes against, 3 absences, between 2011–2012
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Voted a mixture of for and against reforming the NHS so GPs buy services on behalf of their patients Show votes
1 vote for, 2 votes against, 5 absences, between 2011–2019
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Almost always voted for smoking bans Show votes
7 votes for, 0 votes against, 1 absence, between 2006–2015
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Voted against allowing terminally ill people to be given assistance to end their life Show votes
0 votes for, 1 vote against, in 2015
Last updated: 23 October 2019.
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How David Simpson voted on Education #
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Voted a mixture of for and against greater autonomy for schools Show votes
7 votes for, 1 vote against, 14 absences, between 2006–2014
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Voted against raising England’s undergraduate tuition fee cap to £9,000 per year Show votes
0 votes for, 1 vote against, in 2010
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Voted against academy schools Show votes
0 votes for, 1 vote against, 10 absences, between 2010–2016
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Consistently voted against ending financial support for some 16-19 year olds in training and further education Show votes
0 votes for, 2 votes against, in 2011
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Almost always voted against university tuition fees Show votes
1 vote for, 3 votes against, 1 absence, between 2010–2017
Last updated: 29 June 2017.
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Voted a mixture of for and against reducing central government funding of local government Show votes
2 votes for, 2 votes against, 4 absences, between 2010–2019
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Almost always voted against an equal number of electors per parliamentary constituency Show votes
0 votes for, 10 votes against, 1 absence, between 2010–2016
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Generally voted against fewer MPs in the House of Commons Show votes
1 vote for, 5 votes against, 2 absences, between 2010–2016
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Voted for a transparent Parliament Show votes
1 vote for, 0 votes against, 9 absences, between 2007–2009
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Almost always voted against a more proportional system for electing MPs Show votes
0 votes for, 5 votes against, 1 absence, between 2010–2016
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Voted against a wholly elected House of Lords Show votes
0 votes for, 1 vote against, 8 absences, between 2007–2016
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Almost always voted for local councils keeping money raised from taxes on business premises in their areas Show votes
4 votes for, 1 vote against, 1 absence, between 2012–2019
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Almost always voted against greater restrictions on campaigning by third parties, such as charities, during elections Show votes
0 votes for, 9 votes against, 3 absences, between 2013–2016
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Generally voted for fixed periods between parliamentary elections Show votes
2 votes for, 1 vote against, 2 absences, between 2010–2014
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Voted against removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords Show votes
0 votes for, 1 vote against, 3 absences, between 2011–2016
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Voted a mixture of for and against transferring more powers to the Welsh Assembly Show votes
6 votes for, 16 votes against, 9 absences, between 2014–2018
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Voted a mixture of for and against transferring more powers to the Scottish Parliament Show votes
2 votes for, 11 votes against, 33 absences, between 2011–2018
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Voted a mixture of for and against more powers for local councils Show votes
11 votes for, 11 votes against, 30 absences, between 2011–2018
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Consistently voted against a veto for MPs from England, Wales and Northern Ireland over laws specifically impacting their part of the UK Show votes
0 votes for, 3 votes against, in 2015
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Almost always voted against a lower voting age Show votes
0 votes for, 5 votes against, 1 absence, between 2005–2016
Last updated: 1 September 2020.
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How David Simpson voted on Home Affairs #
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Almost always voted for a stricter asylum system Show votes
10 votes for, 1 vote against, 1 absence, between 2005–2016
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Generally voted against allowing ministers to intervene in inquests Show votes
0 votes for, 2 votes against, 3 absences, between 2008–2009
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Generally voted against introducing ID cards Show votes
0 votes for, 6 votes against, 8 absences, between 2005–2006
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Generally voted against the introduction of elected Police and Crime Commissioners Show votes
0 votes for, 3 votes against, 5 absences, between 2010–2012
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Almost always voted for requiring the mass retention of information about communications Show votes
7 votes for, 0 votes against, 1 absence, between 2009–2016
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Almost always voted for stronger enforcement of immigration rules Show votes
7 votes for, 1 vote against, 1 absence, between 2015–2016
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Consistently voted for mass surveillance of people’s communications and activities Show votes
3 votes for, 0 votes against, in 2016
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Has never voted on merging police and fire services under Police and Crime Commissioners
Last updated: 30 June 2020.
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How David Simpson voted on Environmental Issues #
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Voted a mixture of for and against measures to prevent climate change Show votes
6 votes for, 9 votes against, 15 absences, between 2008–2019
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Voted a mixture of for and against lower taxes on fuel for motor vehicles Show votes
2 votes for, 3 votes against, 11 absences, between 2010–2013
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Consistently voted against selling England’s state owned forests Show votes
0 votes for, 2 votes against, in 2011
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Generally voted against higher taxes on plane tickets Show votes
2 votes for, 5 votes against, 4 absences, between 2013–2017
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Generally voted for financial incentives for low carbon emission electricity generation methods Show votes
2 votes for, 0 votes against, 4 absences, between 2011–2018
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Generally voted for culling badgers to tackle bovine tuberculosis Show votes
2 votes for, 0 votes against, 2 absences, between 2013–2014
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Has never voted on greater regulation of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract shale gas
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Generally voted for new high speed rail infrastructure Show votes
2 votes for, 0 votes against, 6 absences, between 2014–2019
Last updated: 29 September 2020.
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How David Simpson voted on Transport #
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Generally voted against greater public control of bus services Show votes
1 vote for, 1 vote against, 1 absence, between 2014–2016
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Generally voted for slowing the rise in rail fares Show votes
2 votes for, 0 votes against, 3 absences, between 2012–2013
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Voted a mixture of for and against lower taxes on fuel for motor vehicles Show votes
2 votes for, 3 votes against, 11 absences, between 2010–2013
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Generally voted against higher taxes on plane tickets Show votes
2 votes for, 5 votes against, 4 absences, between 2013–2017
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Voted a mixture of for and against a publicly owned railway system Show votes
1 vote for, 2 votes against, 1 absence, between 2014–2016
Last updated: 31 October 2017.
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How David Simpson voted on Miscellaneous Topics #
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Generally voted for greater regulation of gambling Show votes
5 votes for, 1 vote against, 5 absences, between 2005–2014
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Consistently voted against capping civil service redundancy payments Show votes
0 votes for, 5 votes against, in 2010
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Generally voted against Labour's anti-terrorism laws Show votes
2 votes for, 11 votes against, 11 absences, between 2005–2010
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Generally voted against the privatisation of Royal Mail Show votes
1 vote for, 3 votes against, 1 absence, between 2009–2011
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Voted a mixture of for and against requiring pub companies to offer pub landlords rent-only leases Show votes
1 vote for, 1 vote against, 2 absences, between 2014–2016
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Voted a mixture of for and against restricting the scope of legal aid Show votes
3 votes for, 4 votes against, 5 absences, between 2011–2014
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Generally voted for allowing national security sensitive evidence to be put before courts in secret sessions Show votes
2 votes for, 0 votes against, 5 absences, in 2013
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Voted a mixture of for and against a statutory register of lobbyists Show votes
1 vote for, 1 vote against, 3 absences, in 2013
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Generally voted against limits on success fees paid to lawyers in no-win no fee cases Show votes
0 votes for, 3 votes against, 3 absences, between 2012–2013
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Voted a mixture of for and against restrictions on fees charged to tenants by letting agents Show votes
1 vote for, 3 votes against, 2 absences, between 2013–2018
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Generally voted against the policies included in the 2010 Conservative - Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement Show votes
10 votes for, 34 votes against, 37 absences, between 2010–2015
Last updated: 5 September 2018.
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