Written on 22nd February 2024
A motion of no confidence in the Speaker, regarding his conduct of yesterday’s Gaza ceasefire debate, has been signed by over 64 MPs.
As a result, Sir Lindsay is still fighting for his job; one government minister has called it “difficult.” The no-confidence motion is not subject to formal procedures and has no binding effect.
But that is irrelevant in this instance. The very fact that MPs are signing it indicates the extent of the rebellion against Sir Lindsay and should be enough to put more pressure on him.
The full list of MPs who have signed are:
Conservative (36)
- William Wragg, Hazel Grove
- Karl McCartney, Lincoln
- Gary Sambrook, Birmingham Northfield
- Jill Mortimer, Hartlepool
- John Stevenson, Carlisle
- Kieran Mullan, Crewe and Nantwich
- Anthony Mangnall, Totnes
- Sir James Duddridge, Rochford and Southend Eas
- Jo Gideon, Stoke-on-Trent Central
- Chris Green, Bolton West
- Bob Blackman, Harrow East
- Tom Randall, Gedling
- Ian Levy, Blyth Valley
- Jonathan Lord, Woking
- Derek Thomas, St Ives
- Jack Brereton, Stoke-on-Trent South
- Tom Hunt, Ipswich
- James Grundy, Leigh
- Brendan Clarke-Smith, Bassetlaw
- Lee Anderson, Ashfield
- Sir Graham Brady, Altrincham and Sale West
- Eddie Hughes, Walsall North
- Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, The Cotswolds
- Marco Longhi, Dudley North
- Simon Baynes, Clwyd South
- Shaun Bailey, West Bromwich West
- Matt Warman, Boston and Skegness
- Steve Double, St Austell and Newquay
- Danny Kruger, Devizes
- Miriam Cates, Penistone and Stocksbridge
- Sir Robert Goodwill, Scarborough and Whitby
- Lia Nici, Great Grimsby
- Jonathan Gullis, Stoke-on-Trent North
- Kelly Tolhurst, Rochester and Strood
- Luke Evans, Bosworth
- Jane Hunt, Loughborough
SNP (27)
- David Linden, Glasgow East
- Stewart McDonald, Glasgow South
- Chris Law, Dundee West
- John McNally, Falkirk
- Gavin Newland, Paisley and Renfrewshire North
- Stephen Flynn, Aberdeen South
- Mhairi Black, Paisley and Renfrewshire South
- Richard Thomson, Gordon
- Kirsten Oswald, East Renfrewshire
- Pete Wishart, Perth and North Perthshire
- Martyn Day, Linlithgow and East Falkirk
- Joanna Cherry, Edinburgh South West
- Patricia Gibson, North Ayrshire and Arran
- Alison Thewliss, Glasgow Central
- Anum Qaisar, Airdrie and Shotts
- Douglas Chapman, Dunfermline and West Fife
- Carol Monaghan, Glasgow North West
- Drew Hendry, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
- Anne McLaughlin, Glasgow North East
- John Nicholson, Orchil and South Perthshire
- Alyn Smith, Stirling
- Kirsty Blackman, Aberdeen North
- Ronnie Cowan, Inverclyde
- Dave Doogan, Angus
- Amy Callaghan, East Dunbartonshire
- Brendan O’Hara, Argyll and Bute
- Alan Brown, Kilmarnock and Loudoun
Independent (1)
- Rob Roberts, Delyn
The MPs against the Speaker such as the leader of the SNP in Westminster, Stephen Flynn, stated on Wednesday that it would require strong persuasion for him to accept the Speaker’s position as “not now intolerable.” With a primary target on Sir Keir Starmer, Tory MP Danny Kruger stated that his choice to sign was not “personal.” He said that “weakness and partisanship” had been displayed by both Sir Lindsay and the Labour leader yesterday. The motion’s signatory, former deputy Tory chairman Lee Anderson, claimed Sir Lindsay had “let himself down”. He expressed his opinion, saying, “I think he’s probably been bullied and cajoled into this, had too much pressure.”
The MPs that have come to his defence such as labour frontbencher Pat McFadden said there was “no reason” why Sir Lindsay’s position should be under threat, as he “acted in good faith”. Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, said Sir Lindsay has his “full support”. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said he was against removing Sir Lindsay from his role as Commons Speaker. “Personally, I am not after getting the Speaker out and his apology showed just how much pressure he had been under,” he said.
What do you think, did the Speaker act in good faith, and should his position be in danger? Answer in the comments below.
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By Ieuan Yr9
Carres Grammar School, Sleaford