High Speed 2 moved another step closer to actually happening last night, as the Hybrid Bill passed its second reading and vote in the Commons. 41 MPs voted against the bill, including 26 Conservatives who rebelled against the party’s three-line whip.
The rebellious MPs fall into three categories: those whose constituencies will be affected by HS2, those unconvinced by the project and the usual contingent of troublemakers. Then there are the MPs who stayed away from the Commons yesterday, mysteriously or otherwise. Here is a breakdown of the rebels and abstainers:
HS2 runs through their constituency
- Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham) – The former Wales Secretary has been one of the most vocal critics of HS2. She tabled an amendment to the Hybrid Bill, declining to give it a second reading. The Gillan amendment was voted down 451 votes to 50 before the main vote — see who voted for it here.
- Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) — The former Vice Chairman of the Conservative party also tabled an amendment against HS2, which was not chosen by the Speaker.
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