Speaker suspends Commons for an hour due to Penny Mordaunt diary clash

Leader of the House unable to make start time due to diary clash

The Speaker has suspended Thursday’s sitting of the House of Commons after a member the government had to shift back her appearance due to a diary clash.

Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House, had been due to be quizzed by MPs on parliamentary business this morning.

However, ahead of the session she confirmed she would be around an hour late.

As Ms Mordaunt has no deputy to take her place, the Speaker said the business would be put back by an hour – a highly unusual occurrence.

While the Speaker did not relay a reason for Ms Mordaunt’s delayed arrival, it is understood she was attending a privy council session with the King.

In a statement to MPs, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle told MPs: “The next business is the business questions. The leader of the House informed me that she is unable to be present until around 12pm. Given there is no deputy leader, I have to suspend the house until her return.

“I will arrange the division bells to be rung shortly before the House resumes, and for a message to be placed on the enunciator. The House is now suspended.”

Without elaborating on why she had prioritised other engagements over parliament, upon her eventual arrival Ms Mordaunt told MPs:

“Unfortunately we were given two choices today. We could either delay the start of business questions by suspending the House or we could take business questions in between the two backbench business debates. After consulting with colleagues it was felt that the former was going to cause the least disruption to honourable members.”

Speaking during the session. Gateshead Labour MP Ian Mearns said Ms Mordaunt’s diary clash meant there would be less time for parliamentary business proposed by backbenchers.

“I'm sorry the leader of the House couldn't be with us at 11.10, and while it might have been unavoidable that she was engaged in other duties it does mean that the time for backbench business debates this afternoon has been reduced by almost an hour – and I say that on behalf of the members who've put in to speak in those debates,” he said.