Lindsay Hoyle under pressure over Gaza vote as No 10 brands MP threats ‘attack on democracy’ - live
More than 70 MPs sign no-confidence motion in Commons speaker as PM expresses concerns
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Rishi Sunak has said it is “unacceptable” for protesters to demonstrate outside MPs’ homes as Downing Street said protest must not “turn into abuse”.
Speaking during a tour of North Wales on Friday, the prime minister said: “It’s simply unacceptable for intimidation or aggressive behaviour to threaten our parliamentary democracy and our freedom of expression.”
He added that he is giving police more power to clamp down on “intimidation and aggressive behaviour”.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “We will continue to keep MPs’ security under review to ensure that they have the protections that they need. We’re also both clear that we won’t allow democracy to be silenced or stifled.
“And intimidation against MPs is an attack on democracy and we won’t allow that to win.”
James Cleverly also vowed to be vigilant against threats and pressure on MPs after Sir Lindsay Hoyle argued his actions in the Gaza ceasefire vote were motivated by concern about security.
More than 70 Conservative and SNP MPs signed a no-confidence motion in Sir Lindsay in the aftermath.
Lindsay Hoyle apologises to MPs after Commons chaos: ‘I made a mistake’
Sir Lindsay Hoyle apologised to MPs again on Thursday 22 February, after the House of Commons descended into chaos on Wednesday evening during a Gaza ceasefire debate. The speaker admitted he made a “mistake” as he faces accusations he helped Sir Keir Starmer avoid another damaging revolt over the Middle East issue by upending parliamentary convention in approving Labour’s bid to alter an SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. “I made a judgement call that did not end up in the position where I expected it to. I regret it, I apologise to the SNP and I apologise to the House,” Sir Lindsay said. “I made a mistake.”
What are the threats to MPs that Sir Lindsay Hoyle is referring to?
After the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, evoked MPs’ safety in his explanation for the farcical display on Wednesday night, Sean O’Grady reflects on horrifying events that prove just how real that danger can be:
Facing MPs to explain himself and to apologise for the chaos that resulted, the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, elaborated on his previous references to MPs’ safety being a factor in his recent decisions.
Once again visibly emotional, Sir Lindsay said that he never again wants to pick up the phone “to find a friend has been murdered”. He added: “I made a mistake – we do make mistakes, I own up to mine.”
What are the threats to MPs that Sir Lindsay Hoyle is referring to?
After the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, evoked MPs’ safety in his explanation for the farcical display on Wednesday night, Sean O’Grady reflects on horrifying events that prove just how real that danger can be
PM offers support to protesting farmers in Wales
Rishi Sunak has offered his support for protesting farmers in Wales.
Taking questions after a speech at the Welsh Conservative conference in Llandudno on Friday, the Prime Minister said: “You can just really tell the visceral anger amongst the farming community here in Wales about what has been done to them.
“That anger is palpable, and they have every right to be angry.
“By the Welsh Government’s own assessment, their ideas are going to lead to thousands of job losses, reduce our food production and food security and destroy farm incomes.
“It just demonstrates again why their plans are the wrong ones, and the wrong ones particularly for rural Wales.
“There are farmers outside here today and they are expressing that anger and we will do everything we can, and you guys are doing a great job of highlighting that this is the reality of a Labour in power.”
Government ‘undeterred’ in plans to quash convictions of wronged subpostmasters
Downing Street said the government remains “undeterred” in plans to quash the convictions of wronged subpostmasters.
Asked about the Post Office’s comment that it stood by more than 350 Horizon scandal prosecutions, a No 10 spokeswoman said: “We remain undeterred in our plans that we set out.
“You would have seen the update that we provided yesterday on scope and some of the timings around that.
“We think it’s right that we take what is an extraordinary step to overturn convictions.
“This was one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history, so we continue to work to deliver that swiftly.”
Police ‘need powers to disperse threatening protests outside Parliament’
Police should have the powers to “disperse” protests around Parliament, MPs’ offices and council chambers that they deem to be threatening, the Government’s political violence tsar has said.
Baron Walney, the UK Government’s adviser on political violence and disruption, said the “aggressive intimidation of MPs” by “mobs” was being “mistaken” for an “expression of democracy”.
The comments by Lord Walney come as the issue of MP safety has once again reared its head this week following a chaotic debate on the Israel-Hamas war.
Police ‘need powers to disperse threatening protests outside Parliament’
The Government’s political violence tsar Lord Walney said ‘aggressive intimidation of MPs’ was being mistaken for a democratic expression.
‘Wrong’ for pro-Palestine message to be projected onto Parliament- Downing Street
It was “wrong” for a controversial pro-Palestinian message to be projected onto Parliament, Downing Street said, but stopped short of saying police should have intervened.
A No 10 spokeswoman told journalists: “It is rightly a decision for the independent police to make operational decisions on the ground.
“But at the same time, I think most people would agree, irrespective of operational decisions which are rightly for the police, that that that was wrong.
“And we are extremely mindful and would continue to urge people to be mindful of the fear and distress felt by people and many communities around the country.”
She added: “We’re very clear that harassment, abuse, intimidation is unacceptable.”
‘Protest must not turn into abuse’ - No 10
Asked about political violence tsar Lord Walney’s bid to give police powers to disperse protests around Parliament, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “We continue to keep in close contact with the police to ensure that they have the powers that they need to manage protests appropriately.
“And we’re very clear that while protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, we must and will not allow that to turn into abuse, incitement of hatred and violence against others. That is unacceptable.”
‘A race to the bottom for politics’: British Muslim and Palestinian groups criticise Commons chaos
British Muslim and Palestinian organisations have criticised the “disgraceful” House of Commons session which descended into chaos over the Gaza ceasefire debate.
The controversy was sparked when Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle broke convention to allow MPs to vote on a Labour amendment to the SNP’s Gaza ceasefire motion, sparking anger which has resulted in more than 60 MPs voting a no-confidence motion against him.
As the uproar in Westminster continues, organisations pushing for an immediate ceasefire have accused parliament of losing sight of the war through political games, as Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry estimates more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed during the conflict.
British Muslim and Palestinian groups slam Commons ceasefire chaos
‘Farcical’ scenes condemned as parliament fails to vote for ceasefire while Gaza death toll rises
Government tells police to crackdown on protests at MPs’ homes after Gaza Commons furore
The home secretary has said police must crackdown on mobs who intimidate MPs at their homes after the Commons speaker warned of ‘frightening’ threats against politicians.
James Cleverly called for democracy to be defended, hours after Rishi Sunak said parliament should never bow to “extremists”.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle cited fears over MPs safety after he was accused of “hijacking” a debate on Gaza and ripping up parliamentary procedure to favour Labour.
Government tells police to crackdown on protests at MP’s homes after Commons furore
The home secretary has said the only thing that politicians should fear ‘is the ballot box’
Sunak optimistic as ‘economy has turned the corner'
Rishi Sunak has said the public are “feeling that the economy has turned the corner” and “things are getting better”.
Taking questions after a speech at the Welsh Conservative conference in Llandudno on Friday, the Prime Minister said: “There is a palpable sense out there, regardless of what Keir Starmer might want to say because he’s always keen to talk down Britain, I can tell actually on the ground people are, since the beginning of this year, feeling that the economy has turned the corner.
“They do see those green shoots. They can see that things are getting better.
“Inflation has been more than halved, mortgage rates starting to come down, wages have been rising for six, seven months in a row now.
“We just saw today ... energy bills significantly down. Consumer confidence, business confidence, again, survey out yesterday, highest it’s been in years. Businesses like yours feeling better about the future.
“And that is why it is so important that we stick to our plan.”
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