Government suffers first commons defeat

The coalition Government suffered their first Commons defeat last night at the end of a general debate on the economy.

Only 79 Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs turned up to vote as the Government lost a symbolic, but non-binding vote on Chancellor George Osborne's autumn statement.

MPs spent nearly six hours debating the state of the UK economy but normally, general debates usually end without a vote. But Labour whips forced one through, provoking the coalition's first defeat in the House, deciding they had not "considered the economy".

Chris Leslie MP, Labour's shadow treasury minister said,

It's no wonder when last week we learned that David Cameron and George Osborne's failing economic policies are leading to slower growth, soaring unemployment and £158 billion more borrowing than planned. Extra borrowing not to support the economy through difficult times, but to pay the bill for the economic failure and growing dole queue that a reckless plan to cut spending and raise taxes too far and too fast has created.

He added,

Out-of-touch ministers need to listen to Labour and the IMF (International Monetary Fund), change course and get a proper plan for jobs and growth that will get the deficit down in a fairer, better way. With this Conservative-led government's economic policies failing, Britain desperately needs a plan that works.

The defeat has been dismissed as a meaningless gesture by a government whip after the Labour party triggered a surprise vote in a near-empty chamber.

Government Deputy Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael, raising a point of order, said,

Is there any means by which the record tomorrow can record that the sort of meaningless gesture that we have just seen is as good as it gets?

Speaker John Bercow though told MPs nothing "disorderly" had taken place, adding,

The vote is what the vote is. It is not for me to interpret; people outside the House are free to do so as they wish.