Official portrait of Mr Alistair Carmichael

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland, since 7 June 2001

The Rt Hon Mr Alistair Carmichael is the Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland, and has been an MP continually since 7 June 2001.

Scorecard

51.3% Attendance In the least-present tenth of MPs who vote
294 Votes cast out of 575 divisions, plus 1 as teller
280 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
6 Interests declared none at £5,000 or more
1479 Debates spoken in 565 written questions tabled

Ranked 579 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 No vote 80–298
2 Jun 2026 Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 6 No vote 99–371
2 Jun 2026 Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 5 No vote 170–301
2 Jun 2026 Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 2 No vote 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 vote 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 vote 335–158
28 Apr 2026 Privilege No vote 223–335
27 Apr 2026 Children's School and Wellbeing Bill: Amendments (a) to (j) in lieu of Lords Amendments 38V to 38X No vote 272–64
27 Apr 2026 Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Carry-over motion No vote 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 vote 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 vote 271–171
27 Apr 2026 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendments 94B and 94C No vote 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 vote 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: Member of the Advisory Board of the House Magazine
From: 12 May 2021.
Payer: Dods Group Ltd, 11th Floor, The Shard, 32 London Bridge St, London SE1 9SG
(Registered 22 September 2021)

On the register since 8 Oct 2025

Payment: £750
Received on: 29 September 2025. Hours: 5 hrs.
(Registered 30 September 2025)

On the register since 8 Oct 2025

6. Land and property portfolio with a value over £100,000 and where indicated, the portfolio provides a rental income of over £10,000 a year

Type of land/property: Agricultural land (Farmland including farm buildings and one house let as holiday accommodation, managed through Coillabus Farms)
Location: Islay, Argyll
Interest held: from 10 November 2021
Rental income: from 10 November 2021
Rental income details: income paid to my father
(Registered 16 November 2021; updated 29 July 2024)

On the register since 16 Aug 2024

7. (i) Shareholdings: over 15% of issued share capital

Name of company or organisation: Coillabus Farms
Nature of business: A firm which manages two farms and the letting of self-catering holiday accommodation on Islay.
Interest held: from 24 October 2021
(Registered 16 November 2021)

On the register since 18 Apr 2024

8. Miscellaneous

An unpaid partner in Coillabus Farms.
Date interest arose: 24 October 2021
(Registered 16 November 2021)

On the register since 16 Aug 2024

Unremunerated Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding.
Date interest arose: 22 September 2017
(Registered 12 October 2017)

On the register since 18 Apr 2024

The same register on parliament.uk →

Debates

1479 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.

← Look up a different postcode · All MPs · Think a figure here is wrong? Challenge it →