Pressure is mounting on Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, to resign following his handling of a vote on Gaza. The SNP’s Stephen Flynn has called for a vote on Sir Lindsay’s future after chaotic scenes in the chamber. The Speaker has apologized for giving MPs a vote on a Labour amendment during an SNP debate, but he claims he did it to ensure MPs’ safety. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed concern over Sir Lindsay’s decision but did not call for his resignation.
The withdrawal of support from the SNP, the third-largest party at Westminster, has made Sir Lindsay’s position significantly more precarious. Thirty-seven Conservative MPs have also joined SNP MPs in signing a motion of no confidence, effectively calling for him to step down. However, there is no formal way for MPs to oust the Speaker.
The controversy arose when Sir Lindsay departed from convention and allowed MPs to vote on a Labour amendment calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war during an SNP debate. This move allowed Labour MPs to call for a ceasefire without supporting the differently-worded ceasefire motion from the SNP. The Conservatives then decided not to participate, and the Labour motion was passed, resulting in the cancellation of standalone votes on the SNP motion and a government amendment.
Critics argue that Sir Lindsay played “party politics” with the vote and allowed Parliament to be intimidated by threats of violence. Some Conservative MPs questioned his decision to allow Labour’s motion on safety grounds. However, others have come to his defense, emphasizing his commitment to protecting MPs and their staff.
Sir Lindsay has apologized to the SNP for his mistake and offered them another chance at a Gaza vote through a future emergency debate. In an emotional statement in the Commons, he acknowledged his duty of care towards MPs and expressed concern over the threats they faced.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer denied threatening the Speaker but accused the SNP of trying to divide the Labour Party. He also criticized the government for walking out on the debate due to a lack of support from Tory MPs for its own amendment.
The acrimony continued in Parliament, with Commons leader Penny Mordaunt criticizing the Labour Party for playing politics with the vote. However, she refrained from directing her criticism towards Sir Lindsay. Some Conservative MPs, including Danny Kruger, called for the Speaker’s resignation, accusing him of allowing Labour to exploit the Islamist threat to change the democratic process. On the other hand, former ministers Sir Edward Leigh and Mark Francois advised against forcing Sir Lindsay out, and Sir Charles Walker defended him, stating that he had made a genuine mistake for the best of reasons.
The situation remains tense as Sir Lindsay holds meetings with senior MPs to discuss the next steps. His tenure as Speaker hangs in the balance as he fights to shore up support for his position. The outcome of this controversy will have significant implications for the functioning of Parliament and the future of Sir Lindsay’s role as Speaker of the House of Commons.
