Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour lot are in the bad books with Speaker Lindsay Hoyle after details of the government’s Strategic Defence Review mysteriously appeared in several newspapers before the Prime Minister’s speech this morning. The Speaker was rather unimpressed with the whole thing – given he has had to remind Starmer’s army on multiple occasions that it is a breach of the ministerial code – and today tore into the PM’s party.
Blasting the leaks as ‘regrettable’, Hoyle dressed down the government benches:
The Prime Minister made a speech and held a press conference in Glasgow. In addition to other media appearances, this follows several days of media briefing. I am disappointed once again that the government appears to have breached the principle set out in paragraph 9.1 of the ministerial code, that when a parliament is in session, the most important announcements of government policy should be made in the first instance in parliament. And how regrettable that ministers have chosen once again to hold major media event before coming to the House. This shows a complete disregard for the House and for the honourable members.
Quick to point out the hypocrisy of Sir Keir’s crowd, Hoyle added:
I note that ministers, when they were in opposition, were not slow to complain when the previous government made major policy announcements outside parliament, so they should recognise the importance of this House. It is amazing in opposition how everything should be discussed on the floor of the House. But when in government, memories are short on that fact.
What has changed? I’ll tell you what’s changed. Disregard for the members who sit on the backbenches. I am here to defend the backbenches. So please, I hope we have no more of this. And all I would say is it is the government’s ministerial code. This should be ashamed of not enforcing it.
That’s them told!
Watch the clip here:
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