Much went on behind the scenes at the vote the other evening, and I have promised one particular journalist to keep it off my blog until Monday - so frustrating!

The voting divided along party lines.

For the 22 week amendment 83 per cent of Conservative MPs voted for 22 weeks, 80 per cent of Labour MPs voted against it.

To say that abortion is a free vote and non party political issue is a nonsense. It clearly divides along party lines.

Labour abandoned the free vote principle by whipping their MPs on a three line whip 'to attend the chamber'. I saw the whipping note, a copy of it was left for us to see .

More of what happened will surface over the weekend.

A high point for me was that during the evening Labour MP Frank Field came into the 20 week lobby and said my speech had convinced him to change his mind.

The next morning he called me and offered his support. He has suggested ways we might move forward together on the issue and work as a team.

I may have lost the vote but that was a result!