Hoyle apologises to SNP, offers to let them hold emergency no confidence debate, but defends wanting to protect MPs
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker, is responding to Flynn.
He says he made a judgment call that did not end up where he expected. He regrets it. He apologises to the SNP. He has made a mistake. He says he will allow an emergency debate under standing order 24 on this.
He will defend all MPs, he says.
He says he never ever wants to pick up a folder to pick up a note about an MP being murdered.
He says he has been shown material that is “absolutely frightening” about the threats to MPs.
And if his mistake is to look after MPs, he is guilty. He has a duty to protect people, he says.
All MPs are at risk, he says. He had serious meetings with the police yesterday. Heading into the election, there are threats.
He repeats the point that he is offering an SO24 debate.
There are cheers as he sits down.
Key events
Mordaunt says MPs should ‘take time to reflect’ before deciding whether to hold no confidence vote in speaker
Penny Mordaunt, the Commons leader, says she will protect the rights of all minority parties in the house. MPs create the rules of the house. Given the range of views expressed today, and the many supportive ones, they should “take time to reflect”, she says.
The government will listen to the house, she says.
Stephen Flynn says SNP no longer has confidence in speaker and calls for no confidence vote
In the Commons Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, said the best and worst of the place was on display yesterday.
Things “descended into farce” because of the decision taken by the speaker, he says, addressing Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who is in the charge.
The debate turned into a Labour debate. That is not acceptable.
He says as a result the SNP does not believe Hoyle should remain as speaker. They do not have confidence in him.
He asks what can be done to schedule a confidence vote in the chamber.
Mark Francois (Con) said last night was not good for the Commons. But he said that Sir Lindsay Hoyle had apologised, and expressed contrition, and he said MPs should respect that.
He praised Hoyle for the support he offered following the murder of Sir David Amess, Francois’ close friend. Hoyle was “a decent man”, he said, and “not the villain here”.
He said the Commons should re-run the debate, with Hoyle in the chair. “We are lucky to have him,” he said.
The Conservative MP William Wragg, who has tabled the early day motion expressing no confidence in Sir Lindsay Hoyle, asked Mordaunt how he could secure a vote on this.
Mordaunt gave a non-committal answer. She said the government would always listen to requests for a debate, but insisted other routes to getting something debated were available too.
Asked by Debbie Abrahams (Lab) if she could assure MPs that they would get the chance to have another vote on Gaza, Mordaunt said there would be “ample opportunities in the future” for such a debate.
Sir Edward Leigh (Con) told the Commons that the speaker has admitted he made a mistake. The Commons should now “move on”, he said. He said he was opposed to a no confidence motion.
He also called for a government debate on Gaza, to allow all amendments to be considered.
Mordaunt said the speaker was meeting all the parties. She said she hoped all sides would reflect on their actions, as the speaker has done.
Back in the Commons Vicky Ford (Con) says she has faced hostility because of the way she has voted on issues, with her votes being misinterpreted. She says that in the European parliament there is a mechanism allowing MEPs, after a vote, to post an explanation of what they voted as they did, and what they did then. She urges Penny Mordaunt to allow the same thing to happen in the Commons.
Mordaunt she will consider this proposal.
No 10 refuses to say whether Rishi Sunak has confidence in Lindsay Hoyle as Commons speaker
At the Downing Street lobby briefing the PM’s spokesperson repeatedly refused to say whether Rishi Sunak has confidence in Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker, Kevin Schofield from HuffPost UK reports.
NEW: Prime minister’s spokesman repeatedly refuses to say whether Rishi Sunak has confidence in Lindsay Hoyle.
“The prime minister’s focus is on addressing the situation in the Middle East,” he says.
— Kevin Schofield (@KevinASchofield) February 22, 2024
NEW: Prime minister’s spokesman repeatedly refuses to say whether Rishi Sunak has confidence in Lindsay Hoyle.
“The prime minister’s focus is on addressing the situation in the Middle East,” he says.
UPDATE: Here is the full quote from the PM’s spokesperson when asked if Sunak had confidence in Hoyle.
The prime minister’s focus is on addressing the situation in the Middle East. And as I say, that is what he’s spending his time focused on. Matters for the house, as I say, are matters for the house.
In the Commons Barry Sheerman (Lab) asks for a proper review of what went wrong yesterday. MPs should learn from the experience, he says.
Penny Mordaunt, leader of the Commons, says there is no doubt what happened. It was “completely shameful”, she says.
But she claims she wants to “take the heat out of this”.
Owen Thompson, the SNP chief whip, says yesterday was one of only three opposition days the SNP gets in a parliamentary session.
He says in practice the SNP did not get an opposition day yesterday. He says his party should be compensated for this. And he asks what protection will be offered for the smaller parties in Commons procedure.
He also calls for an investigation into claims that Sir Lindsay Hoyle was pressurised by Keir Starmer into allowing a vote on the Labour amendment.
He said he had been assured in advance he would get the chance to vote on the SNP motion. That did not happen because the advice of the clerks was over-ruled to dig Labour out of a hole, he says.
Sir Bernard Jenkin (Con) urges the government to schedule a debate in government time on Gaza, so all amendments can be put to a vote.
Mordaunt says she will speak to business managers about this.
Penny Mordaunt describes Hoyle as ‘decent man’ and accuses Labour of undermining his office
Penny Mordaunt, leader of the Commons, is now responding to Lucy Powell.
She says “this house will never bow to extremists, threats or intimidation”.
She says to suggest that the “shameful events” that took place yesterday were anything other than party politics is to do a disservice to the house.
She says it fell to the government to defend the rights of a minority party (the SNP) in the house. She says Powell should rise above defending the needs of her “weak” leader. Labour should reflect on the damage it has done to the office of the speaker, she says.
And she says this episode has illustrated that nothing is more important to the Labour party than its own interests. It has put its own priorities above the interests of the “decent man” who serves as speaker.
She claims that at least Jeremy Corbyn, the previous Labour leader, genuinely believed in his positon on Gaza. She claims Keir Starmer was not sincere in his position, and that this shows he is not fit to lead.
UPDATE: Mordaunt said:
This House will never bow to extremists, threats, or intimidation. It has not, it will not, it must not.
And I would ask all honourable members not to do this house a further disservice by suggesting that the shameful events that took place yesterday were anything other than party politics on behalf of the Labour party …
It fell to the government benches to defend the rights of a minority party in this House.
If the (Lucy Powell) cannot bring herself to reflect on the appalling consequences of her party’s actions yesterday, if she cannot rise above the narrow and immediate needs of her weak and fickle leader to fulfil her duties to this house as its shadow leader, perhaps she might like to reflect on the damage her party has done to the office of the speaker.
I would never have done to him what the Labour party have done to him.
We have seen into the heart of Labour’s leadership. Nothing is more important than the interests of the Labour party. The Labour party before principle, the Labour party before individual rights, the Labour party before the reputation and honour of the decent man that sits in speaker’s chair. The Labour party before fairness, integrity and democracy …
We often on this side of this house rightly criticise the former leader of the Labour party (Jeremy Corbyn) for the things he stood for being wrong on those matters.
But I will tell you one thing about the former leader of the Labour party, at least he thought he was right on those matters. The current leader of the Labour party is quite happy to do what he knows to be wrong.
Labour’s Lucy Powell urges government to do more to protect MPs from intimidation
In the Commons Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the Commons, has just read out the business for the next two weeks. She did not mention the speaker, or last night’s debate.
Lucy Powell, the shadow leader, is speaking now. She says Sir Lindsay Hoyle acted with good intentions, and wanted MPs to have a wide choice when it came to the votes.
She says, given the SNP supported Labour’s motion, it was right that it was put to a vote.
The government’s decision to boycott the vote was “extraordinary”, she says.
But she says that it is “with regret” that parliament did not show itself at its best.
The Commons should have more time to discuss these matters. It should not be up to the opposition to schedule debates on Gaza.
Powell turns to the security of MPs. Legitimate lobbying of MPs, including robust lobbying, is to be expected.
But increasingly a line is being crossed, she says. She condemns the protest outside Tobias Ellwood’s home. She asks if the government agree that the police should take a firmer line on these protests.
And does the government agree that it should look at the causes of this. People should be careful about the language they used, she says. And more should be done to stop social media companies spreading hate, she says.
Tory MP Danny Kruger says Hoyle should go because he was willing to change democratic procedure in response to threat
One Tory argument against Sir Lindsay Hoyle is the claim that his decision yesterday was biased in favour of Labour. Another is that in deciding would and would not be put to a vote partly in response to people issuing threats to MPs he was setting a dangerous precedent. The Conservative MP Danny Kruger has made this case in posts on X this morning explaining he has signed the no confidence motion.
I’ve signed the motion of no confidence in Mr Speaker. This isn’t personal: he’s a decent man and I’m sure he thought he was doing the right thing yesterday. But Sir Lindsay allowed Labour to use the Islamist threat to change the way our democracy works. This is unacceptable. 1/
— Danny Kruger (@danny__kruger) February 22, 2024
I’ve signed the motion of no confidence in Mr Speaker. This isn’t personal: he’s a decent man and I’m sure he thought he was doing the right thing yesterday. But Sir Lindsay allowed Labour to use the Islamist threat to change the way our democracy works. This is unacceptable. 1/
Starmer is even more culpable. He should be standing for democracy and against mob rule. Instead he used the threat of violence for party political ends, to wriggle out of a crisis created by Labour’s unbridgeable division over Israel. 2/
Like the Speaker, I daresay Starmer wants to do the right thing. But like the Speaker he showed weakness and partisanship yesterday. This was a harbinger of what a Labour government would bring: extremists de facto in charge, and the subversion of democracy. 3/
(And for those shouting ‘prorogation’ remember: in 2019 we sought to restore Parly sovereignty and to ensure that proper procedure – that the Govt controls the order paper except on opposition days – was followed. We had a rogue Speaker then. We can’t have another one now.) 4/4
Daniel Finkelstein, the Times columnist and Conservative peer, gave a fuller version of this argument earlier today in his own post on X.
This idea, common overnight among commentators, that last night was just embarrassing games and pomposity is quite wrong. If violent threat prompted the change in motion selection it could hardly be more serious.
Yet if it didn’t, it means the Speaker isn’t telling the truth and it might mean he was pressured by the opposition. Both of which are extremely serious.
I can quite see why allowing Labour’s amendment (albeit an incoherent one) expanded choice but this isn’t the point at all. The point is the parliamentary procedure matters as does precedent and resistance to violent threat and the competence of the Speaker. These are not just sort of pomposity.
I can’t believe some Labour centrists and media commentators argue this after all the discussion during the Johnson years about the importance of institutions and process. It’s like they didn’t mean their earlier critique at all. Which (and I am not being arch here) would be very disappointing and worrying.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle will not be taking any rash, early decisons about his future, Steven Swinford from the Times reports.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle is not planning to resign today and will conduct ‘business as usual’ in the face of mounting pressure from ministers and backbenchers
The Speaker will meet senior leaders but has been advised by allies against doing anything rash.
All eyes on the no confidence…
— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) February 22, 2024
Sir Lindsay Hoyle is not planning to resign today and will conduct ‘business as usual’ in the face of mounting pressure from ministers and backbenchers
The Speaker will meet senior leaders but has been advised by allies against doing anything rash.
All eyes on the no confidence motion – more than 50 MPs have now put their name to it
Ministers and PPSs now publicly saying they have lost confidence in him
Hoyle ‘head and shoulders’ better than last two speaker, says former Tory defence secretary Ben Wallace
An influential Conservative has spoken up for Sir Lindsay Hoyle this morning. At one point Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, was a favourite for party leader. In posts on X this morning, he has described Hoyle as the best speaker he’s known since he was elected in 2005.
I have served under three speakers. Lindsay Hoyle is head and shoulders above the rest. He is fair, kind and a protector of back benchers. He is not a bully nor a grandstander nor pompous. He has my full support.
— Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP (@BWallaceMP) February 22, 2024
I have served under three speakers. Lindsay Hoyle is head and shoulders above the rest. He is fair, kind and a protector of back benchers. He is not a bully nor a grandstander nor pompous. He has my full support.
The real question we should ask ourselves is why Keir Starmer, the lawyer, seems to think Commons rules should not be followed. Is it one rule for Starmer and one for the rest of us?
Labour always knew it was an SNP opposition day so why did Labour seek to override standing orders?
There are now 57 signatures on the Commons early day motion expressing no confidence in Sir Lindsay Hoyle. That suggests it won’t be long before the tally reaches 65, which would represent 10% of the house.
On the plus side for Hoyle, he has the support of Labour, and the Labour leadership. Michael Martin was forced to resign as Commons speaker after both the government and oppostion leadership decided it was time for him to go.
What is not clear, yet, is whether or not No 10 is going to decide that it wants him out. It has not indicated that so far, but if enough Tory MPs were to declare that they had lost confidence in Hoyle, Rishi Sunak could be persuaded to allow the Commons to put this matter to a vote. It must be a relief for Sunak to have Conservative MPs for once gunning for someone else, not him.
If the number of signatures on the EDM were to reach 100, a formal confidence vote would become much more likely. Nicholas Watt from Newsnight says there are some Conservatives who have not signed it yet but who will if Hoyle does not indicate he is going.
Senior Tory MP tells me: A lot of us agree with Will Wragg’s EDM (Early Day Motion) but are reluctant to sign it. If the speaker doesn’t indicate by next week that he is going then lots of us will then sign it.”
Senior Tory MP tells me: A lot of us agree with Will Wragg’s EDM (Early Day Motion) but are reluctant to sign it. If the speaker doesn’t indicate by next week that he is going then lots of us will then sign it.”
— Nicholas Watt (@nicholaswatt) February 22, 2024
Hoyle was elected speaker just before the 2019 election. Aged 66, he is currently expected to stand at the election and serve for another term as speaker. The last four speakers all stayed in office for roughly a decade. But if Hoyle were at risk of losing a confidence vote, he could decide to stand down this year, to allow MPs to chose a new speaker before the election.
