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Watch: Pandemonium at PMQs as MPs thrown out for calling for independence referendum

13 Jul 2022 3 minute read
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. Picture by Sky News

Two MPs were thrown out of the House of Commons after calling for a Scottish independence referendum at the start of Prime Minister’s Questions.

Alba Party pair Kenny MacAskill (East Lothian) and Neale Hanvey (Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath) were ordered to leave the chamber by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle in furious scenes at the start of the session.

Mr MacAskill could be heard trying to raise a point of order and appeared to say “we need a referendum”, before he was drowned out by other MPs.

He then refused to sit down and continued to speak, prompting Sir Lindsay to act.

The Speaker said: “I will not tolerate such behaviour. If you want to go out, go out now.

“If you stand again, I will order you out. Make your mind up.”

Mr MacAskill rose to his feet again before Mr Hanvey also stood up and started speaking, but he could not be heard over the heckling from Tory MPs.

Sir Lindsay then named the pair, meaning they are suspended from the House.

He said: “Neale Hanvey, I’m now naming you and Kenny MacAskill to leave this chamber. Serjeant, deal with them.

“Out now, Serjeant-at-arms escort them out.”

The Alba Party later said: “Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey have today asserted that ‘Scotland’s voice will be heard’ in the face of a discredited Prime Minister’s continuing veto over a Section 30 order”.

‘Fantastic’

Speaking at this last PMQs, Boris Johnson told MPs he will leave his job as Prime Minister with his “head held high”.

Concluding his exchange with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister said: “The next leader of my party may be elected by acclamation, so it is possible this will be our last confrontation, it is possible.

“So, I want to thank him for the style in which he conducted himself. I think it would be fair to say he has been considerably less lethal than many other members of this House.”

He added: “There is a reason for that: because over three years, in spite of every opportunity he has never really come up with an idea, a plan, or a vision for this country.”

Mr Johnson later said: “It is perfectly true that I leave not at a time of my choosing, it is absolutely true, but I am proud of the fantastic teamwork that has been involved in all of those projects both nationally and internationally, and I am also proud of the leadership that I have given.

“I will be leaving with my head held high.”

In his final question, Sir Keir Starmer said that former chancellor Rishi Sunak had “implied that the Prime Minister cannot tell the public the truth” in his resignation letter.

He asked: “Yesterday he (Mr Sunak) claimed his big plan is to rebuild the economy. Even the Prime Minister must be impressed by that Johnsonian brassneckery.

“Can the Prime Minister think of any jobs his former chancellor may have had that means he bears some responsibility for an economy that he now claims is broken?”

Boris Johnson replied: “I think everybody who has played a part in the last three years has done a remarkable job in helping this country through very difficult times.”


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Leigh Richards
Leigh Richards
1 year ago

No surprise to see that advocates of Scottish independence are not welcome in England’s Parliament – every SNP and Plaid MP should have walked out in solidarity!

Leigh Richards
Leigh Richards
1 year ago
Reply to  Leigh Richards

Dont trouble yourself tedious english nat – scotland and Wales wont be sending MPs to the english parliament for too much longer 😉. But having viewed the disgusting antics of numerous former public schoolboys on the green benches down the years i presume your reference to ‘decorum’ was a misplaced attempt at humour?

Doctor Trousers
1 year ago
Reply to  Leigh Richards

Not really mate, the Alba party are primarily a vehicle for Alex Salmond’s bloated ego, and secondly somewhere for socially conservative dinosaurs to stomp off to in the huff when the SNP won’t entertain their tedious culture war nonsense. They try to appear relevant by stamping their feet about how the SNP aren’t doing enough to bring about another independence referendum. Nobody votes for them, this pair are only in there because they were elected as SNP MPs, then defected. SNP and Plaid were quite right to steer clear of this attention seeking stunt. The time for solidarity walkouts should’ve… Read more »

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
1 year ago

Leigh is right! Stunt or not, your comments simply help to divide the national cause.
Perhaps they are socially conservative dinosaurs and maybe Alex Salmond does have a bloated ego, but using such terms in attacking fellow nationalists (whether you like them or not) simply helps our enemies.

Gavin
Gavin
1 year ago
Reply to  Leigh Richards

The gravy train is in the upper house!

David
David
1 year ago
Reply to  Leigh Richards

Keir Starmer says he won’t speak with the SNP and the SNP will not speak to the Alba party who want Independence.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

A lapdog barking at strangers…

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

200,000 dead announced today and Fat Shanks says he will leave with his head held high.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
1 year ago

Timeline Tories pick our next PM (again), Autumn or Spring the new PM wants consent of the country so a GE. SNP runs solely on independence policy, wins. Wales follows suit. By 2025 UK history.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 year ago

Red Tory Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is a Unionist useful idiot. He gives the impression that he’s a neutral mediator, but in reality this Northern English political parrot is a hypocrite. He once ordered the removal SNP Ian Blackford from the chamber when he called Boris Johnson a liar after saying he misled the commons after Partygate. And when he refused to retract his statement, this proved to be correct later when Johnson was fined for breaking his own Covid rules, the first sitting Prime Minister in history to do so, was ejected and barred. Hoyle has previous form of hindering… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Y Cymro
George
George
1 year ago

Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s desire to uphold the most ludicrous of rules in Westminster probably helps indy cause in the long term.

But one can push him into upholding ludicrous rules (no clapping?) without overstepping the mark and turning others off your cause.

Gaynor
Gaynor
1 year ago

the most supine Speaker since GT. Never looked that angry when BJ kept on lying and lying

Hell Glibson
Hell Glibson
1 year ago

Whatever happened to the ‘Gwlad’ party, friends? So sad.

David
David
1 year ago
Reply to  Hell Glibson

They have a seat on Ceredigion Council. How long did it take since formation did Plaid Cymru gain its first elected politicians?

Hell Glibson
Hell Glibson
1 year ago
Reply to  David

One seat on Ceredigion Council? Nice progress.

I was thinking more along the lines of presence online, social media, protests in the streets, direct action, fundraising, getting the word out there and so on.

They may as well not bother at this rate, seem to be taking things as easy as possible. As I said, soooo sad.

Steve
Steve
1 year ago

The worst speaker ever spoke with total disrespect and showed more anger at speaking out of turn than ministers blatantly lying.

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