JUST STOP HOYLE
Rishi Sunak blasts Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s ‘concerning’ intervention on Gaza vote as more than 60 MPs want Speaker out
More than 60 Tory and SNP MPs have now signed a motion to get rid of him
LETTING extremists disrupt democracy is a “very slippery slope”, Rishi Sunak has warned the embattled Commons Speaker tonight.
The PM rebuked Sir Lindsay Hoyle for “bending” to intimidation during a crunch debate on a ceasefire in Gaza.
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Sir Lindsay today insisted he was only “guilty” of trying to keep politicians safe as he fought to keep his job.
Some 67 Tory and SNP MPs have signed a no confidence motion calling for him to quit over Wednesday’s chaotic debate on a Gaza ceasefire.
The PM said Sir Lindsay’s handling of the vote was “very concerning” and that bending Commons rules to appease protester intimidation was “a very slippery slope”.
Many politicians have faced abuse since the Israel-Hamas conflict, which the Speaker insists was the reason behind his controversial decision to allow a Labour ceasefire vote.
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But Mr Sunak warned: “We should never let extremists intimidate us into changing the way in which Parliament works.
“Parliament is an important place for us to have these debates. And just because some people may want to stifle that with intimidation or aggressive behaviour, we should not bend to that and change how Parliament works.”
But he stopped short of calling for Sir Lindsay to quit, with ministers instead turning their fire on Sir Keir Starmer who they claim applied undue pressure.
CHAOS IN THE COMMONS: HOW A DAY OF FARCE UNFOLDED
What was the background?
It was the SNP’s turn to hold an Opposition Day debate - a typically innocuous affair that gives smaller parties the chance to debate a subject of their choice.
The result is non-binding, meaning in reality it makes not the blind bit of difference to government policy. Many MPs do not even bother to vote.
But the SNP had tabled a motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, a highly emotive and current issue.
It especially posed a headache for Sir Keir Starmer, who faced the prospect of many of his backbenchers backing the Scottish Nationalists - something beyond the pale.
So Labour tabled an amendment to the SNP’s motion also calling for an immediate ceasefire, albeit slightly different wording and more caveats, but at least ceasefire-minded Labour MPs had something to vote for.
The Government also tabled its own amendment calling for a “humanitarian pause”.
Hoyle’s controversial decision
Convention dictates that the Speaker should only take a vote on the SNP’s original motion and the government’s amendment.
Arcane Commons rules means that if the Labour amendment was also selected, there was a high chance the SNP’s original motion would not get to a vote.
But the Speaker selected both the government AND Labour amendments for votes, ignoring even his own top official who warned against this.
It sparked fury among Tories who accused Hoyle - originally a Labour MP - of making an exception for Starmer, while also enraging the SNP who now could be deprived of their own Opposition Day motion.
Chaos in the Commons
With Hoyle engulfed in a bias storm, the Tories said they would play no further part in the debate and withdrew their government amendment.
It meant that the Labour amendment would be voted on first, and would almost certainly pass without opposition from Tory MPs who would abstain.
This meant there would be no vote on the original SNP motion text, which was stronger in its calls for a Gaza ceasefire.
It left the Scottish Nationalists seething, with its leader Stephen Flynn demanding the Speaker - who had sent his deputy to the chamber - to be summoned to the Commons to explain himself.
He roared: “It’s called Opposition Day! That’s the point! It’s not called Labour Day!”
Utter carnage then ensued, with MPs storming out, demanding the House was suspended and that they turn off the Commons cameras and boot out journalists.
Speaker apology
Eventually Hoyle returned to face the music, and made a grovelling apology for how the day’s farce had unfolded.
He said he made his decision in the interests of MPs’ security - presumably because many Labour MPs were getting threats if they did not vote for a ceasefire, and giving them a Labour amendment to vote on would allow them to do this.
His grovelling did not wash with the SNP nor many Tories who called for him to quit.
The end result
Amid the chaos, Labour’s motion for an immediate sustainable ceasefire was passed.
And despite all the farce, it will not make any difference to the fighting in Gaza whatsoever.
The Labour leader “categorically” denied nobbling the Speaker in a backroom deal to avoid the embarrassment of many of his own MPs voting for an SNP ceasefire bid.
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She said: “We have seen into the heart of Labour's leadership. Nothing is more important than the interests of the Labour Party.”
But Tory Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt blamed him - and not Sir Lindsay - for the “shameful events” that unfolded in the chamber.
Cabinet Minister Michael Gove told The Sun: "We have a situation where MPs are being told that they have to vote a particular way, or they're going to face pressure from extremist groups.
"That is the issue. And the issue is being able to say to extremists outside the House of Commons: Get back - you are not going to force elected representatives to vote in a particular way because of your tactics, and because of your commitment to extremist causes."
Sir Lindsay yesterday repeated his apology for sparking chaos yet insisted he had acted to keep MPs safe.
He said: “I have a duty of care and if my mistake is looking after members, I am guilty.”
But he failed to defuse the row as SNP leader Stephen Flynn said his party had lost all confidence in him.
Mr Flynn - the head of the third largest party - remained incensed that his Opposition Day debate was allowed to be “hijacked” by Labour.
Scotland Yard were criticised for standing by while protesters shouted “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” outside Parliament.
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Tory MP Andrew Percy said it was a “genocidal chant” and lashed out at the police.
He said: “That message says no Jew is welcome in the state of Israel or in that land. This is going to continue happening because we’re not dealing with it.”
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