Rules: Division Lobby

[Blakesley]

The Division Lobby

Divisions: A Division is where the House decides on a particular question, be it a motion or a bill. After debate on a bill or motion has concluded, the Speaker will pose the question by means of a new thread being posted in this forum containing the text of the bill or motion. After that, there will be a period of 48 hours during which you can cast your vote by using the voting functions we will add to the thread in question.

You can vote either Aye (in favour) or No (against; "nay" is not acceptable because we speak the Queen's English in Parliament). You can also abstain: in the UK Parliament, this is done by being absent from the division altogether or going through both lobbies at once. There will be five options: Aye, No, Absent, and Abstain. If you post the wrong vote, that’s tough luck: you can’t change your vote afterwards, you can only walk the other lobby and turn your wrong vote into an abstention (to do this please post that you are doing so in the thread).

Announcing Votes: Once the thread is opened, all votes will be announced on Discord.

Calculating Results: The A-Team will calculate the results of each division by reviewing how people voted, applying their Backbench Support, applying any Whip Cards used by the Chief Whips, noting any frontbench absences (where appropriate), and applying any backroom deals made with the A-Team. Backroom deals will largely be limited to swaying MPs within your own party. As a result of all of this, the results of the Division might not match the raw results of the poll. However, the final declared result of the Speaker (read: the A-Team) is final.

Frontbench Absences: Frontbench members of both parties are expected to be present for all final votes on legislation and substantive motions unless they have a declared absence. If a frontbench member misses a final vote on a bill or substantive motion, they (alongside 50% their BBS) will be presumed to have been absent and will be recorded as such. This means that if frontbench members do not show up to vote, parties (particularly the Government) run a real risk of losing votes in the House of Commons. That would be embarrassing.