SNP and Conservative MPs walk out of the Commons over the speaker’s handling of the Gaza vote
Rishi Sunak has said it is “unacceptable” for protesters to demonstrate outside MPs’ homes as Downing Street said protest must not “turn into abuse”.
Speaking during a tour of North Wales on Friday, the prime minister said: “It’s simply unacceptable for intimidation or aggressive behaviour to threaten our parliamentary democracy and our freedom of expression.”
He added that he is giving police more power to clamp down on “intimidation and aggressive behaviour”.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “We will continue to keep MPs’ security under review to ensure that they have the protections that they need. We’re also both clear that we won’t allow democracy to be silenced or stifled.
“And intimidation against MPs is an attack on democracy and we won’t allow that to win.”
James Cleverly also vowed to be vigilant against threats and pressure on MPs after Sir Lindsay Hoyle argued his actions in the Gaza ceasefire vote were motivated by concern about security.
More than 70 Conservative and SNP MPs signed a no-confidence motion in Sir Lindsay in the aftermath.
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More than 70 MPs sign no confidence motion in Speaker
More than 70 MPs have now signed a motion expressing no confidence in the Speaker after angry scenes in the Commons on Wednesday.
Senior Conservatives and Scottish National Party MPs have put their names to the “early day motion” proposed by senior Tory William Wragg in a move intended to pressure the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, to step down.
On Friday afternoon, the total number of signatures stood at 71, including Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, former Tory deputy chairmen Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith, the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and his deputy Mhairi Black.
More than half of the SNP’s Westminster contingent have signed the motion, reflecting anger in the party at the Speaker’s handling of its opposition day motion on Wednesday, while 40 Conservatives and one Independent, former Tory Rob Roberts, have joined them.
Environmental Audit Committee chairman Philip Dunne appeared to have signed the motion but then withdrew his signature shortly afterwards.
The total means that more than 10% of the Commons has backed the call for Sir Lindsay to step down, but the momentum behind Mr Wragg’s motion appears to have slowed with only four names being added to the list on Friday.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 16:41
Cleverly backs Hoyle as almost 70 MPs sign call for Speaker to quit
Home Secretary James Cleverly gave his personal backing to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle despite criticism of his handling of a Gaza ceasefire debate.
The Speaker gained the support of the senior Cabinet minister even as he faced continued pressure to step down.
Nearly 70 MPs, more than a tenth of the Commons, have signed a motion proposed by senior Conservative William Wragg expressing no confidence in him after Wednesday’s SNP Opposition Day vote descended into chaos.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 16:01
Welsh Conservative leader pledges to stop 20mph speed limits
The Welsh Conservative leader has pledged to scrap 20mph default speed limits if they got into power.
Speaking at the Welsh Conservative Conference in Llandudno, Andrew RT Davies said: “We’ll scrap Labour and Plaid’s barmy 20mph speed limits – to get Wales moving and stop the Welsh economy suffering a £9 billion hit.”
He added: “Labour wants to make Wales the place where common sense goes to die. And that is most clear when we look at Labour and Plaid’s barmy 20mph speed limits.
“This idea, dreamed up by lycra-clad lobbyists, has now become law in Wales. It’s common sense that outside schools and hospitals – 20mph should be the speed limit.
“But Labour and Plaid’s policy is extreme.
“They’ve admitted it’ll hit the Welsh economy by up to £9 billion. They’ve imposed it on Wales regardless.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 15:31
No 10 brands threats towards MPs an ‘attack on democracy’
Downing Street declined to say whether Rishi Sunak supports protest exclusion zones around MPs’ offices.
A No 10 spokeswoman told reporters on Friday: “I’m just not going to get into specifics around protective security and arrangements…
“We will continue to keep MPs’ security under review to ensure that they have the protections that they need. We’re also both clear that we won’t allow democracy to be silenced or stifled.
“And intimidation against MPs is an attack on democracy and we won’t allow that to win.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 14:55
Lindsay Hoyle apologises to MPs after Commons chaos: ‘I made a mistake’
Sir Lindsay Hoyle apologised to MPs again on Thursday 22 February, after the House of Commons descended into chaos on Wednesday evening during a Gaza ceasefire debate. The speaker admitted he made a “mistake” as he faces accusations he helped Sir Keir Starmer avoid another damaging revolt over the Middle East issue by upending parliamentary convention in approving Labour’s bid to alter an SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. “I made a judgement call that did not end up in the position where I expected it to. I regret it, I apologise to the SNP and I apologise to the House,” Sir Lindsay said. “I made a mistake.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 14:30
What are the threats to MPs that Sir Lindsay Hoyle is referring to?
After the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, evoked MPs’ safety in his explanation for the farcical display on Wednesday night, Sean O’Grady reflects on horrifying events that prove just how real that danger can be:
Facing MPs to explain himself and to apologise for the chaos that resulted, the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, elaborated on his previous references to MPs’ safety being a factor in his recent decisions.
Once again visibly emotional, Sir Lindsay said that he never again wants to pick up the phone “to find a friend has been murdered”. He added: “I made a mistake – we do make mistakes, I own up to mine.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 14:15
PM offers support to protesting farmers in Wales
Rishi Sunak has offered his support for protesting farmers in Wales.
Taking questions after a speech at the Welsh Conservative conference in Llandudno on Friday, the Prime Minister said: “You can just really tell the visceral anger amongst the farming community here in Wales about what has been done to them.
“That anger is palpable, and they have every right to be angry.
“By the Welsh Government’s own assessment, their ideas are going to lead to thousands of job losses, reduce our food production and food security and destroy farm incomes.
“It just demonstrates again why their plans are the wrong ones, and the wrong ones particularly for rural Wales.
“There are farmers outside here today and they are expressing that anger and we will do everything we can, and you guys are doing a great job of highlighting that this is the reality of a Labour in power.”
(Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 14:00
Government ‘undeterred’ in plans to quash convictions of wronged subpostmasters
Downing Street said the government remains “undeterred” in plans to quash the convictions of wronged subpostmasters.
Asked about the Post Office’s comment that it stood by more than 350 Horizon scandal prosecutions, a No 10 spokeswoman said: “We remain undeterred in our plans that we set out.
“You would have seen the update that we provided yesterday on scope and some of the timings around that.
“We think it’s right that we take what is an extraordinary step to overturn convictions.
“This was one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history, so we continue to work to deliver that swiftly.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 13:45
Police ‘need powers to disperse threatening protests outside Parliament’
Police should have the powers to “disperse” protests around Parliament, MPs’ offices and council chambers that they deem to be threatening, the Government’s political violence tsar has said.
Baron Walney, the UK Government’s adviser on political violence and disruption, said the “aggressive intimidation of MPs” by “mobs” was being “mistaken” for an “expression of democracy”.
The comments by Lord Walney come as the issue of MP safety has once again reared its head this week following a chaotic debate on the Israel-Hamas war.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 13:26
‘Wrong’ for pro-Palestine message to be projected onto Parliament- Downing Street
It was “wrong” for a controversial pro-Palestinian message to be projected onto Parliament, Downing Street said, but stopped short of saying police should have intervened.
A No 10 spokeswoman told journalists: “It is rightly a decision for the independent police to make operational decisions on the ground.
“But at the same time, I think most people would agree, irrespective of operational decisions which are rightly for the police, that that that was wrong.
“And we are extremely mindful and would continue to urge people to be mindful of the fear and distress felt by people and many communities around the country.”
She added: “We’re very clear that harassment, abuse, intimidation is unacceptable.”
(PA Wire)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain23 February 2024 13:07