Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated February 18, 1956: Death penalty to go in UK

The House of Commons on February 16 decided by 293 votes to 262 to abolish the death penalty for murder in Britain. The House arrived at its verdict on a "free vote" meaning that politicians of all parties were allowed to vote according to their conscience and not on party line. The motion on which the vote was taken and which the Government had opposed urged the House to abolish or suspend the death penalty, because it "no longer accords with the needs or the true interests of a civilised society." The Government indicated earlier during the debate that it would act on the vote, if it favoured abolition. When the voting figures were announced, Opposition members, the chief supporters of abolition, jumped to their feet and cheered. Women spectators in the public gallery waved their arms wildly and the news spread quickly to an excited crowd, which had been waiting all evening in the cold outside Parliament. The Commons had in 1948 voted to abolish capital punishment as an amendment to a Criminal Justice Bill. But this was rejected by the House of Lords after there had been a 55-day period during which convicted murderers were automatically reprieved. The Commons then accepted the rejection of the proposal by the Upper Chamber and hanging was restored.

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