Steerpike Steerpike

Watch: Speaker slams Sir Keir over defence review leaks

(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

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.

Britain’s best politics newsletters

You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Steerpike
Written by
Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

Topics in this article

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in