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Voting summaries
MPs have many roles, but one of the most important is that they make decisions. These decisions shape the laws that govern us, and can affect every aspect of how we live our lives.
One of the ways MPs make decisions is by voting.
On TheyWorkForYou, we create voting summaries that group a set of decisions together, show how an MP has generally voted on a set of related votes, and if they differ from their party.
You can read more about our process , the kinds of votes we include , how we compare MPs to parties , and why we think this is important .
Below are summaries of how Karin Smyth has voted on key issues, grouped by policy area (randomly ordered).
This page shows relevant votes while Karin Smyth has been in Parliament, you can also view a summary just for the current Parliament .
Karin Smyth’s voting in Parliament
Karin Smyth is a Labour MP, and on the vast majority of issues follow instructions from their party and vote the same way as other Labour MPs.
In the last year, Karin Smyth has an alignment score of 100% with other MPs of their party (over 296 votes). Find out more .
How Karin Smyth voted on Home Affairs #
Last voted on between 2025 and 2026
Last voted on between 2020 and 2024
Almost always voted against stronger laws and enforcement of immigration rules Show votes
2 votes for, 17 votes against, 7 absences, between 2015 and 2024. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Consistently voted against making it easier to remove those trespassing on land with an intent to reside there Show votes
4 votes against, in 2021. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Consistently voted against making it easier to remove someone's British citizenship Show votes
4 votes against, 1 absence, between 2021 and 2022. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Generally voted for mass surveillance of people’s communications and activities Show votes
1 vote for, 3 absences, between 2016 and 2024. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted against authorising criminal conduct by undercover officers and covert sources Show votes
2 votes against, 2 absences, between 2020 and 2021. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Last voted on between 2015 and 2019
Last updated: 28 April 2026.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
How Karin Smyth voted on Foreign Policy and Defence #
Last voted on between 2025 and 2026
Last voted on between 2020 and 2024
Last voted on between 2015 and 2019
Generally voted for a second referendum on the terms of the UK's withdrawal from the EU Show votes
2 votes for, 2 absences, between 2017 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Tended to vote for (alignment score: 60%) UK membership of the EU Show votes
6 votes for, 4 votes against, 2 absences, between 2016 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Voted for replacing Trident with a new nuclear weapons system Show votes
1 vote for, between 2015 and 2016. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted against use of UK military forces in combat operations overseas Show votes
1 vote against, 1 absence, in 2015. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Generally voted for a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU Show votes
2 votes for, 1 absence, between 2015 and 2016. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted against military action against ISIL (Daesh) Show votes
1 vote against, 1 absence, in 2015. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Last updated: 12 May 2025.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
How Karin Smyth voted on Business and the Economy #
Last voted on between 2025 and 2026
Last voted on between 2020 and 2024
Generally voted for new high speed rail infrastructure Show votes
2 votes for, 2 absences, between 2016 and 2021. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Voted a mixture of for and against (alignment score: 40%) measures to reduce tax avoidance Show votes
2 votes for, 3 votes against, 1 absence, between 2016 and 2020. Comparable Labour MPs voted a mixture of for and against (alignment score: 40%).
Tended to vote for (alignment score: 67%) requiring imported goods to meet domestic standards Show votes
2 votes for, 1 vote against, 1 absence, between 2020 and 2021. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted against reducing the rate of corporation tax Show votes
2 votes for, 7 votes against, 2 absences, between 2015 and 2021. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Consistently voted against stronger tax incentives for companies to invest in assets Show votes
2 votes against, in 2021. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Last updated: 8 July 2025.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
How Karin Smyth voted on Environmental Issues #
Last voted on between 2025 and 2026
Consistently voted for increasing windfall tax on oil and gas companies Show votes
3 votes for, 1 absence, between 2024 and 2025. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Tended to vote for (alignment score: 67%) measures to encourage purchase and use of electric vehicles Show votes
1 vote for, 1 vote against, 1 agreements, 1 absence, between 2021 and 2025. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Consistently voted for financial incentives for low carbon emission electricity generation methods Show votes
3 votes for, between 2018 and 2025. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Almost always voted for measures to prevent climate change Show votes
19 votes for, 1 agreements, 5 absences, between 2015 and 2026. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Last voted on between 2020 and 2024
Generally voted for improving air quality Show votes
2 votes for, 3 absences, in 2021. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Generally voted for the preservation of environmental protections after withdrawal from the EU Show votes
6 votes for, 2 votes against, between 2016 and 2023. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted for improving biodiversity Show votes
4 votes for, 3 absences, in 2021. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Generally voted for new high speed rail infrastructure Show votes
2 votes for, 2 absences, between 2016 and 2021. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted for improving environmental water quality Show votes
1 vote for, 4 absences, between 2021 and 2024. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Last updated: 11 February 2026.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
Last voted on between 2020 and 2024
Generally voted for fixed periods between parliamentary elections Show votes
1 vote for, 2 absences, in 2021. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted against fewer MPs in the House of Commons Show votes
1 vote against, 1 absence, between 2016 and 2020. Comparable Labour MPs voted a mixture of for and against (alignment score: 41%).
Absences for this policy may be affected COVID-19 restrictions .
Consistently voted against a wholly elected House of Lords Show votes
1 vote against, between 2016 and 2024. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Generally voted against an equal number of electors per parliamentary constituency Show votes
1 vote for, 4 votes against, between 2016 and 2020. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Consistently voted against photographic voter identification at polling stations Show votes
4 votes against, between 2017 and 2022. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Consistently voted for removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords Show votes
1 vote for, between 2016 and 2024. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Generally voted for more powers for the devolved administration in Northern Ireland Show votes
5 votes for, 1 vote against, 4 absences, between 2017 and 2022. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Consistently voted against reducing central government funding of local government Show votes
3 votes against, 1 absence, between 2016 and 2021. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Generally voted for more powers for local councils Show votes
7 votes for, 2 votes against, between 2015 and 2024. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Consistently voted for approving reports and recommendations made by the Standards Committee Show votes
3 votes for, 2 agreements, between 2021 and 2023. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Generally voted for transferring more powers to the Scottish Parliament Show votes
14 votes for, 5 votes against, 14 absences, between 2015 and 2024. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted for transferring more powers to the Senedd/Welsh Parliament Show votes
9 votes for, 1 vote against, 6 absences, between 2016 and 2022. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Consistently voted for a lower voting age Show votes
5 votes for, 1 absence, between 2015 and 2022. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Last updated: 12 November 2024.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
How Karin Smyth voted on Justice #
Last voted on between 2025 and 2026
Voted for preventing sentencing guidelines requiring offender background reports based on race, religion, culture, or similar traits. Show votes
1 vote for, in 2025. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Voted for proscribing Palestine Action , Maniacs Murder Cult , and Russian Imperial Movement as terrorist groups Show votes
1 vote for, in 2025. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Consistently voted for reducing (for some kinds of offenders) the minimum detention requirement before release to reduce pressure on prison capacity . Show votes
3 votes for, between 2024 and 2025. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Consistently voted for scrapping the scheme that let people avoid prosecution for Troubles-related crimes in exchange for cooperating, and removing the ban on bringing Troubles-related claims in the civil courts Show votes
4 votes for, 1 absence, between 2022 and 2026. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Last voted on between 2020 and 2024
Last updated: 21 January 2026.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
How Karin Smyth voted on Taxation and Employment #
Last voted on between 2025 and 2026
Generally voted for taxing salary-sacrifice pension contributions above £2,000 a year Show votes
1 vote for, 1 absence, between 2025 and 2026. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Consistently voted for increasing windfall tax on oil and gas companies Show votes
3 votes for, 1 absence, between 2024 and 2025. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Almost always voted for increasing capital gains tax Show votes
9 votes for, 2 absences, between 2016 and 2025. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Tended to vote for (alignment score: 67%) increasing income tax (in real terms) Show votes
8 votes for, 4 votes against, 4 absences, between 2015 and 2025. Comparable Labour MPs tended to vote for (alignment score: 64%).
Generally voted for charging VAT on private school fees Show votes
2 votes for, 1 absence, between 2024 and 2025. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Tended to vote against (alignment score: 33%) higher taxes on alcoholic drinks Show votes
1 vote for, 2 votes against, 1 absence, between 2017 and 2025. Comparable Labour MPs tended to vote against (alignment score: 35%).
Last voted on between 2020 and 2024
Last updated: 21 January 2026.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
As a result of COVID-19, some MPs were less able to vote in Parliament in certain periods, and this will be reflected by absences in their voting record.
11th May to 2nd June 2020
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
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
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.
See more detail on votes during the COVID-19 period here.
Note for journalists and researchers: The data on this page may be used freely, on condition that TheyWorkForYou.com is cited as the source.
This data was produced by TheyWorkForYou from a variety of sources.
For an explanation of the vote descriptions please see our page about voting information on TheyWorkForYou .
Profile photo: © Parliament (CC-BY 3.0)
