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 Chris Williamson has voted on key issues, grouped by policy area (randomly ordered).
Voting records for MPs who change parties / have whip withdrawn
This MP has either become an independent MP, changed parties, or had the party whip withdrawn over the course of their time in Parliament.
In the votes below they are compared to their original party (Labour).
How Chris Williamson voted on Taxation and Employment #
For votes held while they were in office:
Consistently voted against encouraging occupational pensions Show votes
2 votes against, between 2010 and 2011. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Almost always voted against increasing the rate of VAT Show votes
6 votes against, 2 absences, between 2010 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Almost always voted against raising the threshold at which people start to pay income tax Show votes
18 votes against, 4 absences, between 2011 and 2018. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Generally voted for increasing the tax rate applied to income over £150,000 Show votes
1 vote for, 1 absence, between 2012 and 2015. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Consistently voted against lower taxes on fuel for motor vehicles Show votes
6 votes against, between 2010 and 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Consistently voted against higher taxes on alcoholic drinks Show votes
6 votes against, 1 absence, between 2010 and 2015. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Generally voted against higher taxes on plane tickets Show votes
5 votes against, 4 absences, between 2012 and 2017. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Consistently voted for an annual tax on the value of expensive homes (popularly known as a mansion tax ) Show votes
2 votes for, in 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Consistently voted against allowing employees to exchange some employment rights for shares in the company they work for Show votes
5 votes against, between 2012 and 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Voted a mixture of for and against (alignment score: 50%) higher taxes on banks Show votes
4 votes for, 4 votes against, 2 absences, between 2011 and 2018. Comparable Labour MPs voted a mixture of for and against (alignment score: 41%).
Consistently voted against increasing capital gains tax Show votes
1 vote against, between 2010 and 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Last updated: 3 Mawrth 2025.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
How Chris Williamson voted on Foreign Policy and Defence #
For votes held while they were in office:
Generally voted against a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU Show votes
1 vote against, 3 absences, between 2011 and 2014. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Generally voted for more EU integration Show votes
27 votes for, 1 vote against, 20 absences, between 2010 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted for use of UK military forces in combat operations overseas Show votes
2 votes for, 1 absence, between 2010 and 2014. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Consistently voted for strengthening the Military Covenant Show votes
1 vote for, between 2011 and 2012. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Voted for military action against ISIL (Daesh) Show votes
1 vote for, in 2014. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Consistently voted for UK membership of the EU Show votes
5 votes for, 1 absence, between 2017 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Almost always voted for a right to remain for EU nationals already in living in the UK Show votes
6 votes for, 1 vote against, 1 absence, between 2017 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Generally voted against a second referendum on the terms of the UK's withdrawal from the EU Show votes
2 votes against, 2 absences, between 2017 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Last updated: 18 Mai 2022.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
For votes held while they were in office:
Voted for a wholly elected House of Lords Show votes
1 vote for, between 2011 and 2012. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Voted for removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords Show votes
1 vote for, between 2011 and 2012. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Consistently voted against an equal number of electors per parliamentary constituency Show votes
7 votes against, between 2010 and 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Consistently voted against fewer MPs in the House of Commons Show votes
2 votes against, between 2010 and 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Absences for this policy may be affected COVID-19 restrictions .
Consistently voted against reducing central government funding of local government Show votes
4 votes against, 1 absence, between 2010 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Consistently voted against greater restrictions on campaigning by third parties , such as charities, during elections Show votes
11 votes against, between 2013 and 2014. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Consistently voted against local councils keeping money raised from taxes on business premises in their areas Show votes
4 votes against, 1 absence, between 2012 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Generally voted for more powers for local councils Show votes
12 votes for, 5 votes against, between 2010 and 2018. Comparable Labour MPs tended to vote for (alignment score: 68%).
Generally voted against fixed periods between parliamentary elections Show votes
2 votes against, 1 absence, between 2010 and 2014. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Generally voted for transferring more powers to the Senedd/Welsh Parliament Show votes
6 votes for, 2 votes against, 9 absences, between 2011 and 2018. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Tended to vote for (alignment score: 67%) transferring more powers to the Scottish Parliament Show votes
8 votes for, 4 votes against, 9 absences, between 2011 and 2018. Comparable Labour MPs tended to vote for (alignment score: 63%).
Generally voted for more powers for the devolved administration in Northern Ireland Show votes
4 votes for, 1 vote against, 2 absences, between 2017 and 2018. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Last updated: 12 Tachwedd 2024.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
How Chris Williamson voted on Welfare, Benefits and Pensions #
For votes held while they were in office:
Almost always voted against a reduction in spending on welfare benefits Show votes
16 votes against, 2 absences, between 2010 and 2015. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Consistently voted against reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the "bedroom tax") Show votes
5 votes against, 1 absence, between 2011 and 2018. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Consistently voted for paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability Show votes
6 votes for, 1 absence, between 2011 and 2012. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted for.
Consistently voted for raising welfare benefits at least in line with prices Show votes
5 votes for, in 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Consistently voted against 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 against, in 2012. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Consistently voted for increasing the state pension age for women more slowly Show votes
3 votes for, between 2011 and 2017. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Consistently voted against increasing the state pension age Show votes
2 votes against, in 2011. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Last updated: 18 Mai 2022.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
How Chris Williamson voted on Environmental Issues #
For votes held while they were in office:
Tended to vote for (alignment score: 63%) measures to prevent climate change Show votes
4 votes for, 3 votes against, 1 agreement, 1 absence, between 2011 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs tended to vote for (alignment score: 66%).
Consistently voted against lower taxes on fuel for motor vehicles Show votes
6 votes against, between 2010 and 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Generally voted against higher taxes on plane tickets Show votes
5 votes against, 4 absences, between 2012 and 2017. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Voted a mixture of for and against (alignment score: 50%) financial incentives for low carbon emission electricity generation methods Show votes
1 vote for, 1 vote against, 2 absences, between 2011 and 2018. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted for greater regulation of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract shale gas Show votes
1 vote for, 1 absence, in 2015. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Generally voted for new high speed rail infrastructure Show votes
2 votes for, 5 absences, between 2013 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Consistently voted for the preservation of environmental protections after withdrawal from the EU Show votes
5 votes for, 1 absence, between 2017 and 2019. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted for.
Voted for improving environmental water quality Show votes
1 vote for, in 2012. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Last updated: 2 Ebrill 2025.
Learn more about our voting records and what they mean.
How Chris Williamson voted on Miscellaneous Topics #
For votes held while they were in office:
Consistently voted for greater regulation of gambling Show votes
4 votes for, between 2011 and 2014. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Consistently voted against the privatisation of Royal Mail Show votes
2 votes against, between 2010 and 2011. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Consistently voted against capping civil service redundancy payments Show votes
5 votes against, in 2010. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Almost always voted against the policies included in the 2010 Conservative - Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement Show votes
3 votes for, 43 votes against, 12 absences, between 2010 and 2015. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Consistently voted for requiring pub companies to offer pub landlords rent-only leases Show votes
1 vote for, between 2013 and 2014. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Almost always voted against restricting the scope of legal aid Show votes
1 vote for, 8 votes against, between 2011 and 2014. Comparable Labour MPs almost always voted against.
Generally voted against allowing national security sensitive evidence to be put before courts in secret sessions Show votes
4 votes against, 2 absences, between 2012 and 2013. Comparable Labour MPs generally voted against.
Consistently voted for restrictions on fees charged to tenants by letting agents Show votes
1 vote for, between 2013 and 2018. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted for.
Consistently voted against limits on success fees paid to lawyers in no-win no fee cases Show votes
6 votes against, between 2011 and 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Consistently voted against a statutory register of lobbyists Show votes
3 votes against, in 2013. Comparable Labour MPs consistently voted against.
Last updated: 26 Ebrill 2022.
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.
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