Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has pledged to ‘do anything’ to protect anybody in the Commons as he issued a grovelling apology to MPs.
Sir Lindsay has courted controversy with accusations of playing ‘party politics’ by granting a vote on Labour’s Gaza ceasefire motion.
He broke with convention to allow a vote on Labour’s Gaza ceasefire motion.
Clarifying his ‘duty of care’ to MPs today, he said: “I had serious meetings yesterday with the police on the issues and threats to politicians heading into an election.
“I do not want anything to happen again. I will apologise, I always will when I make a mistake.
“I will do whatever it is to protect anybody in this chamber or anybody who works in this House.”
The Speaker’s sentiments weren’t met warmly by all sides of the House, with SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn calling for a vote of no confidence.
“Last evening we saw the best of this House in its ability to debate and we also saw the worst of this House as it descended into farce”, he said
“And I think I speak for everyone in the chamber just now and indeed yesterday when I expressed my deep sorrow that that was able to happen given the content of what it was we were debating.”
