Norway Debate - May 8 - Motion and Vote

Motion and Vote

After Churchill's speech the House divided. The motion was "That this House do now adjourn" and constituted a vote of confidence.

Yes votes 281
No votes 200

The Government's notional majority was 213 but 39 Government supporters voted with the Opposition, and some others abstained. The Government still won the vote by 281 to 200, but the catastrophic fall in the Government's majority put great pressure on it. A Labour MP Josiah Wedgwood led the singing of Rule Britannia, joined by Conservative rebel Harold Macmillan of the Noes; this gave way to cries of 'Go!' as Chamberlain left the Chamber.

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