Lindsay Hoyle will get backing of James Cleverly after Suella Braverman chimes in
Home Secretary James Cleverly has firmly backed Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle amid criticism of his dealing with of the Gaza ceasefire debate.
The senior Cabinet minister advised Sky News on Friday: “I think the Speaker has done a fantastic job. I think he’s been a breath of fresh air compared with his predecessor.
“He made a mistake. He’s apologised for the error. My view is that I’m supportive of him.” Mr Cleverly said it was his personal view because the selection of the Speaker is “House enterprise” rather than for Government ministers to decide.
Sir Lindsay is facing continued pressure to step down as Commons Speaker after almost 70 MPs called for him to go after he selected a Labour amendment to an SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Some 67 MPs, more than a tenth of the Commons, have signed a motion proposed by senior Conservative William Wragg expressing no confidence in the Speaker over his handling of the debate on Wednesday.
Sir Lindsay has apologised for his handling of the debate and offered an emergency debate on the SNP’s motion calling for a ceasefire. But criticism from SNP and Tory MPs has continued, with the Prime Minister describing his decisions as “very regarding”.
If further signatures are added to Mr Wragg’s motion, Sir Lindsay will face additional pressure to go. There is no formal procedure for removing a speaker, but in 2009 Michael Martin resigned from the post after it became clear he had lost the confidence of MPs across the Commons.
Sir Lindsay’s explanation that he was motivated by concern about MPs’ security has sparked further debate about the impact of threats and intimidation around the work of Parliament.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman today said the events of Wednesday had “undermined the integrity of Parliament”, adding: “The reality is that the Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in cost now.”
“I’ll have been sacked as a result of I spoke out in opposition to the appeasement of Islamists, however I might do it once more as a result of we have to get up to what we’re sleep-walking into: a ghettoised society the place free expression and British values are diluted. Where sharia legislation, the Islamist mob and antisemites take over communities,” she wrote in the Telegraph. “We want to beat the concern of being labelled Islamophobic and converse in truth.”
Some Conservatives have been reluctant to blame the Speaker for Wednesday’s events, instead pointing the finger at Sir Keir Starmer. Ms Braverman stated the Labour chief had “bowed to the mob” and made a “grubby backroom deal”.
She said: “The masks has slipped: in hock to the Islamists, he’s answerable for one of the shameful days of our democracy. By successfully taking the Speaker hostage, he introduced Parliament into disrepute. This is the behaviour of tyrants. Just think about what Starmer would do as Prime Minister.”
Mr Starmer has denied threatening the Speaker, insisting he “merely urged” him to have “the broadest attainable debate” by placing various choices in entrance of MPs.
