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Official portrait of James MacCleary

James MacCleary

Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, since 4 July 2024

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Defence)

James MacCleary is the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. He currently undertakes the role of Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Defence).

Contact them on the parliamentary site →

Scorecard

61.0% Attendance Below the median of MPs who vote
351 Votes cast out of 575 divisions
224 No vote recorded absent, abstaining, paired or unable to attend
1 Against their own party divisions where they voted the other way to most Liberal Democrat MPs
7 Interests declared none at £5,000 or more
126 Debates spoken in 565 written questions tabled

Ranked 495 of 638 MPs for attendance. The median of MPs who vote is 72.3%. Ministers and front-benchers vote less often than backbenchers for reasons of office rather than absenteeism, and Parliament does not publish reasons for any absence — the ranking is a starting point for a question, not an answer to one.

Voting record

575 divisions since they took their seat, newest first.

DateQuestionTheir voteResult
2 Jun 2026 Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 13 Aye 80–298
2 Jun 2026 Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 6 No 99–371
2 Jun 2026 Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 5 Aye 170–301
2 Jun 2026 Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 2 Aye 171–302
21 May 2026 Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading No vote 68–242
20 May 2026 King's Speech Motion for an Address No 307–171
20 May 2026 King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (p) No vote 104–316
20 May 2026 King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (l) Aye 78–408
20 May 2026 King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (o) No vote 104–317
19 May 2026 King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i) No vote 108–323
28 Apr 2026 Draft Immigration and Asylum (Provision of Accommodation to Failed Asylum-Seekers) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 No vote 304–28
28 Apr 2026 Draft Asylum Seekers (Reception Conditions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 No 308–81
28 Apr 2026 Pension Schemes Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendments 15 to 24, 27, 30 to 34, 36, 38 to 42, 83 and 88, insist on Amendments 88C, 88E to 88P, 88R, 88S and 88W, and propose Amendments (a) to (j) in lieu of Amendments 88A, 88T, 88U and 88V No 335–158
28 Apr 2026 Privilege Aye 223–335
27 Apr 2026 Children's School and Wellbeing Bill: Amendments (a) to (j) in lieu of Lords Amendments 38V to 38X No 272–64
27 Apr 2026 Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Carry-over motion No 279–176
27 Apr 2026 Pension Schemes Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendments 15 to 24, 27, 30 to 34, 36, 38 to 42, 83 and 88, insist on its Amendments 88A, 88C and 88E to 88P and propose Amendments (a) to (f) No 279–164
27 Apr 2026 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: Amendments (a) to (h) in lieu of Lords Amendments 85 and 86, 97 to 116, 120, 121 and 123 No 271–171
27 Apr 2026 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendments 94B and 94C No 269–170
27 Apr 2026 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendments 36, 90 and 155, insist on Amendments 155A to 155F and propose Amendment (a) No 270–170
27 Apr 2026 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendments 89B and 89C No 273–167
22 Apr 2026 Crime and Policing Bill: motion to insist on Amendments 439C and 439D and disagree with Lords Amendments 439E and 439F No vote 253–143
22 Apr 2026 Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: motion to insist on Amendment 38J and disagree with Lords Amendments 38V to 38X No vote 260–161
22 Apr 2026 Pensions Schemes Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendments 15 to 24, 27, 30 to 34, 36, 38 to 42, 83 and 88, insist on Amendments 88A and 88C and propose amendments (a) to (j) in lieu of Amendment 88B No vote 272–149
22 Apr 2026 Draft Energy Prices Act 2022 (Extension of Time Limit) Regulations 2026 deferred division No vote 380–7

Declared financial interests

Quoted in full from the Register of Members' Financial Interests. Entries where the largest figure is £5,000 or more are marked. A declaration is not a wrongdoing — the register exists precisely so that these things are visible.

1. Employment and earnings

Role, work or services: Councillor
Until: 7 May 2026.
Payer: East Sussex County Council, County Hall, Lewes BN7 1UE
(Registered 1 August 2024; updated 20 September 2025 and 19 May 2026)

On the register since 3 Jun 2026

Remuneration: £719.50 a month
Until: 7 May 2026.
Hours: 30 hrs a month Estimated depending on meetings and casework
(Registered 1 August 2024; updated 20 September 2025 and 19 May 2026)

On the register since 3 Jun 2026

Role, work or services: District Councillor
Until: 7 May 2026.
Payer: Lewes District Council, 6 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2AD
(Registered 1 August 2024; updated 5 May 2026 and 19 May 2026)

On the register since 3 Jun 2026

Remuneration: £416.83 a month
From: 2 May 2023. Until: 7 May 2026.
Hours: 20 hrs a month Hours worked is an estimate
(Registered 1 August 2024; updated 5 May 2026)

On the register since 19 May 2026

3. Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources

Name of donor: National Liberal Club Ltd
Address of donor: 1 Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2HE
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Honorary membership until the end of 2025, as a new Liberal Democrat MP, value £1,578.50
Date received: 2 September 2024 to 31 December 2025
Date accepted: 2 September 2024
Donor status: company, registration 01355034
(Registered 13 October 2024)

On the register since 9 Feb 2026

4. Visits outside the UK

Name of donor: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
Address of donor: 63 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PH
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Flights, accommodation and transfers, value £889.45
Destination of visit: Italy
Dates of visit: 24 October 2025 to 26 October 2025
Purpose of visit: To attend the Economic and Finance Conference by invitation
(Registered 16 December 2025)

On the register since 6 Jan 2026

8. Miscellaneous

Director of Newhaven Fishing Community Interest Company. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 1 September 2024
(Registered 3 October 2024)

On the register since 9 Feb 2026

The same register on parliament.uk →

Debates

126 debates contributed to in total. The ten most recent:

Sources: Commons Votes API, Members API and the Register of Members' Financial Interests, all published by Parliament under the Open Parliament Licence. This member's register and debate record were last refreshed 3 Aug 2026. How every figure is worked out →

Machine-readable: JSON for this MP.

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