Peterborough MP Paul Bristow kicked out of House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions

During this afternoon’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Peterborough MP Paul Bristow was kicked out of the House of Commons by Speaker Lindsay Hoyle just four minutes into proceedings. The Commons speaker was forced to pause twice in the first three minutes of PMQ’s to ask MPs to stop shouting during an exchange between Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer on the topic of uncontrolled immigration.

Mr Hoyle was angered by the amount of yelling that was coming from government benches and told Mr Bristow, who sits on the health select committee, that he would have to leave the chamber or else he would be formally disciplined. The threat to “name” the MP is parliamentary language that results in formal disciplinary action of a politician and, in some cases, suspension. The speaker also warned the opposition benches that “the same will happen on this side”.

The Commons speaker has criticised MPs in the past for shouting during debates, stating that it reflects poorly on parliamentary proceedings and is not popular with the public.

Sir Keir Starmer asked Rishi Sunak if he thinks his policy is encouraging businesses to train people “here or hire from abroad”, just before the interruption. The Labour leader continued, “The reason they are issuing so many visas is labour and skill shortages. And the reason there are shortages is the low-wage Tory economy. Under his Government’s rules, businesses in IT, engineering, healthcare, architecture, welding can pay foreign workers 20per cent less than British workers for years and years on end. Does he think his policy is encouraging businesses to train people here or hire from abroad?”

The Prime Minister replied, “He talks about immigration but we know his position because it turns out that Labour would actually like to see even more people coming to the UK, increasing the numbers. It’s not just my view, those are the words of his own frontbencher who said ‘having a target is insensible and that the numbers might have to go up’.”

Credit: cambridge-news.co.uk

ENND