Government defeats in the House of Lords by session

Government defeats in whipped divisions of the House of Lords, with the divisions held, in each session of the UK Parliament since 1999–2000, the current session to the day before retrieval.

Government defeats in the 2026–27 session to date

29 Oct 2026 · in 35 whipped divisions

Verified against source, 30 October 2026, 11:49 UTC

Government defeats
Divisions held

Source: UK Parliament. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Data table

25 rows

Category	Government defeats	Divisions held
1999–2000	36	192
2000–01	2	40
2001–02	56	172
2002–03	88	226
2003–04	65	176
2004–05	37	67
2005–06	62	192
2006–07	45	104
2007–08	29	125
2008–09	25	89
2009–10	14	43
2010–12	48	241
2012–13	27	82
2013–14	14	89
2014–15	11	60
2015–16	60	114
2016–17	38	77
2017–19	69	138
2019	1	1
2019–21	114	173
2021–22	128	210
2022–23	126	186
2023–24	43	63
2024–26	208	409
2026–27 to date	15	36

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Source and licence

Publisher

UK Parliament

Check it yourself

https://votes.parliament.uk/votes/lords

Licence

Open Parliament Licence v3.0 – Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Retrieved

30 October 2026, 11:41 UTC

Raw files fetched

https://whatson-api.parliament.uk/calendar/sessions/list.jsonSHA-256 7370b7ebedad25885c67650c4beeb9a17d5d3505d33565e20de799c7e794bf5e · 7,301 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=0&take=100SHA-256 7808b829930fbc3191cab1b6ad1dafd46ebc980388fb6c2345ec89c34ce7607f · 55,650 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=100&take=100SHA-256 0405c9184a937e70210c7af7f2d12395dd57ae70373da69bff77d2ee31296bfa · 55,654 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=200&take=100SHA-256 a07814c071ac0cdd740dd9b2a9a22a5b672d13703838104f6190c572fc105b4e · 55,643 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=300&take=100SHA-256 81cfdcf10a3032cc482c684d8fbf280a9c643c679a737c4d95253cb079fd832a · 55,650 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=400&take=100SHA-256 4b92627fb735e7b3a32cb6a98f3ba165f6580350e669d657db9232b4e1c44666 · 55,675 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=500&take=100SHA-256 d2bbb12dac7ed4d6a914dd3495a0c7ead869b1400bea8e29f813de2b7ae5a04e · 55,749 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=600&take=100SHA-256 fc6ca305b814ba60ee08fe346b55c53cb6e0c7b80774e4761e57ee27412b69ab · 55,711 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=700&take=100SHA-256 ce302259ba5252682478eb24326ceed3268e4e28fe4c645138703c33e7574ec7 · 55,692 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=800&take=100SHA-256 35b530031748344d30b23a8eda8f77789fdf3860b63a742d610dda50af861a3d · 55,691 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=900&take=100SHA-256 006ca4ee53b23a19f98229c716660264561a6ef514a40f766f1485965b828bab · 55,738 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1000&take=100SHA-256 669662072481c0491d27908793801338c2aeca1936fa84e5b33f909c68e60b38 · 54,749 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1100&take=100SHA-256 532a23eb181b3569c41a42343d0d44cf27b303dc977c1e1c806342e36535c514 · 52,269 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1200&take=100SHA-256 1f0a8fe62d66a97b6c2d329e50d769e94271b011c2e9212c6c459386c1eb6f89 · 52,269 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1300&take=100SHA-256 b1c8b4a97273a33b2f45488f2071ea8a79e398c0b5c41e2ba9ccd7db67334423 · 52,247 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1400&take=100SHA-256 43dfa2551a31db079ad4ef3a52ea4a5a3e231131a01a76ff07fb524c8b8f1d89 · 52,269 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1500&take=100SHA-256 57a4ff0f52aba61ffc67f3a77547c39ba376194a4a0b85f9323b688ebc924933 · 52,301 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1600&take=100SHA-256 3ae9c3bc9a625178e93dccef6d2e60625e8eb2e681376a49eddc06328256b976 · 52,272 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1700&take=100SHA-256 ba9020d7b77a2ef5408ce2da650850d92410e078df2e6cb92ebe04273e0d777b · 52,297 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1800&take=100SHA-256 db739f716083775bb3b2a0e5c825f1bcb4c12b379bbd4fd20c13128b01130abb · 52,216 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=1900&take=100SHA-256 b5cbbe73b24cfab910565baaaeaa3f7282f1ff6c3152595d6cde388af3659c3d · 52,026 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2000&take=100SHA-256 ecada6c9069952ead8082327e2d80f9b2ac12a1796deacf3fa496bbf88782811 · 52,040 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2100&take=100SHA-256 b83298ece9809f2ec96cad9c13d76cde29d4ba01a9337812e8b34ae8535c88af · 52,171 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2200&take=100SHA-256 34d71f993d97822a1446c8f00606bb11e69ae73ea0a908047d0e52d28009cfc9 · 52,146 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2300&take=100SHA-256 e95bbd5c7fc6fb85e9dbb49bef51030a77f0a8f5c9ad89c78472d4c49e780f2c · 52,082 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2400&take=100SHA-256 3da7f03488a47232c2fa029de2a1e28749ca7e77bf1f70dbb474ee26d285a046 · 52,092 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2500&take=100SHA-256 ae242e1f016d71ee79eb21c98a6547ed79c5b72945673113f627ebd1d82cae13 · 52,006 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2600&take=100SHA-256 465d0a90ced148ef4cd6c26f8ed1b082d60885f25044e009b8ab27a51fd2b01c · 52,038 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2700&take=100SHA-256 379176c817945ed2bfd59c592c1aeb5fb708b83bf7cc634f16734a019824ab53 · 51,960 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2800&take=100SHA-256 674f63ad1a77abee62421f347cb16cebbf6766c685af1d6ca3443aff399420d0 · 51,967 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=2900&take=100SHA-256 59554d6da6af1b755b58ae93305552b49c3401c408ceb3a196179d60ca228571 · 51,973 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=3000&take=100SHA-256 8e9d496c5c0088935a7a54dd60a79883b66949d9d3aa837243d8fc3d374182f0 · 52,025 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=3100&take=100SHA-256 4b3f71cb245cc6359a7cd99861cc0d61ca670b420b41bdec606572e296845799 · 51,912 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=3200&take=100SHA-256 76ccca6dd5f2c23718e58a988bc6189ea6fc62463d26930ef721b012abf0debe · 51,858 bytes
https://lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk/data/Divisions/search?StartDate=1999-11-17&EndDate=2026-10-29&skip=3300&take=100SHA-256 139f33a68424805e41514587e863234f3f5deabb148488a4d72b738f2d4ec068 · 2,596 bytes

Verification

Verified against source, 30 October 2026, 11:49 UTC Run at 30 October 2026, 11:49 UTC; 50 of 50 figures matched the live source.

Result	Check	Detail
Pass	Provenance recorded	UK Parliament; Open Parliament Licence v3.0; retrieved 2026-10-30T11:41:28Z; 35 raw file(s)
Pass	Raw files match recorded SHA-256	35 of 35 files intact
Pass	Re-parsing raw files reproduces figures	50 of 50 figures and the headline reproduced
Pass	Figures are finite numbers	50 figures, 0 invalid
Pass	Live source matches every figure	50 of 50 figures match exactly after downloading 35 source file(s) again (1 byte-identical); the headline matches
Pass	Defeat flags agree with the counts	3105 of 3105 whipped divisions' government-win flags agree with the content and not-content counts and the government's side; 22 tied, left out
Pass	Hansard's division search agrees	2448 of 2449 divisions in Hansard's search (https://hansard-api.parliament.uk/search/divisions.json, house=Lords) are in the votes API, by sitting day and number or else by their counts, 2445 on the same day and 2400 with the same counts; in earlier sessions Hansard lists 1 the API lacks: 2016–17 No. 1 on 2016-11-09; Hansard's search lacks 857 of the API's 3305, the first 1 on 1999-11-24 and the last 2 on 2005-03-15; in earlier sessions 1 differ on which side won: 2005–06 No. 1 on 2006-06-12: Hansard 148–147, the votes API 147–147
Pass	Parliament's record is current	the newest division is dated 2026-10-28, 2 days before retrieval (limit 80)
Not run	Source page answers	https://votes.parliament.uk/votes/lords refuses automated requests (HTTP 403); open it in a browser to compare

Notes

A defeat is a whipped division the government lost, as the Lords Votes API flags it; free votes are left out. An inquorate division has no result and is not counted as a defeat. Division numbers restart each sitting day, and sessions are as Parliament's What's On service lists them. The Lords Votes API's records start on the 24th of November 1999, a week into the 1999–2000 session.
There is no second route to the defeat count itself: parliament.uk's own table of defeats refuses scripts. Each division Hansard's search lists is matched instead, and each defeat flag with the vote counts. Hansard's search does not list the Lords' earlier divisions.
The stored raw files are the hub's copy of the Lords Votes API's records with peers' names and ids removed: the lists of peers who voted and of the tellers, the sponsoring peer, the titles and the free-text notes, all of which can name peers, are dropped before the files are written. Every run fetches the API in full again to check the figures.