UK narrowly backs death penalty but rejects national service

The country delivered its most striking verdict of the day on justice, narrowly backing the reintroduction of the death penalty for the most serious crimes. A chamber that has spent years debating punishment came down on the Yes side by an eight-point margin, even though the sharpest arguments on the floor came from those who lost.

The verdicts

Should we reintroduce national service? produced the closest call of all: the UK split 67 votes to 65 against, a virtual coin toss that leaves the policy dead but the argument very much alive. By contrast Should the UK adopt a legally binding target to cut emissions by 87% by 2040? saw the chamber reject the target by nearly two to one, with the strongest voices against it focused on fairness rather than the science itself.

Voters also refused to scrap the digital services tax despite the threat of American tariffs, holding by roughly two to one that the levy on big tech should stay. On housing, the UK backed making landlords of student lets pay council tax by a clear two-to-one margin, a result driven by arguments about who should bear the cost of student living.

Should the tax and benefits systems be fully integrated so welfare payments are reduced by income tax? passed comfortably with three in five in favour, though the sharpest complaints centred on fairness for higher earners and offshore schemes. The chamber was less convinced by Andy Burnham’s agenda: it decided he is not gearing up for a 2026 general election, rejected his “new political model” for improving UK governance by 14 points, and split four to three against the idea that Ed Miliband could strengthen foreign policy as foreign secretary.

On the economy the UK narrowly backed scrapping the agricultural inheritance tax changes, while it also voted against the Prime Minister regularly working outside London. A final question on urgently tightening security for MPs’ staff after physical attacks and abuse ended in a dead heat, six votes apiece.

Voting continues today.

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