Precedents (Posted February 21, 2024)



A parliamentary kerfuffle occurred today when Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle selected a Labour amendment to an SNP opposition day motion. Given the selection, normal procedure would entail a vote on the amendment before the vote on the motion as it was tabled which, in effect, would mean that if the amendment were to pass, SNP members would not have an opportunity to vote on their own (unamended) opposition day motion. The Speaker took flak from both sides of the House when he announced the selection in a scene that featured a level of discontent not seen since Hoyle's predecessor John Bercow occupied the chair.

Side note: the MP who called out, "Bring back Bercow!" during the Speaker's statement is none other than Sir Desmond Swayne.



Speaker Lindsay Hoyle announces his selection of amendments to an SNP Opposition Day motion. The selection created the possibility (and eventual outcome) that members would not be able to vote on the SNP's motion as it was tabled. While Hoyle tried to give the House as many options as possible (from the three largest parties) in deciding the question at the risk of restricting the SNP's ability to bring its Opposition Day motion to a vote, Sir Desmond Swayne playfully called out, "Bring back Bercow!"





Sir Edward Leigh speaks in a debate on the UK's position on a ceasefire in Gaza.





Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt raises a point of order regarding Speaker Lindsay Hoyle's selection of amendments to the SNP's Opposition Day motion on the UK's position on a ceasefire in Gaza.





SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn raises a point of order following an SNP Opposition Day debate on the UK's position on a ceasefire in Gaza. Flynn and his colleagues took issue with Speaker Lindsay Hoyle's selection of a Labour amendment (in addition to a government amendment) to the SNP motion.





Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle apologizes for the turmoil caused by his selection of amendments to the SNP's Opposition Day motion on the UK's position on a ceasefire in Gaza.





SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn raises a point of order following Speaker Lindsay Hoyle's apology to the House for the turmoil that ensued in the wake of his selection of amendments to the SNP's Opposition Day motion debating the UK's position on a ceasefire in Gaza.





Kit Malthouse raises a point of order following the adoption of an amended Opposition Day motion that was tabled by the SNP on their Opposition Day but was altered with a Labour amendment on a voice vote before members could vote on the original motion.





Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg echoes Kit Malthouse's disquiet at the adoption of an amendment and the subsequent amended motion with no division on the SNP's Opposition Day.






Tags | Stephen Flynn | Lindsay Hoyle | Edward Leigh | Kit Malthouse | Penny Mordaunt | Lucy Powell | Jacob Rees-Mogg | Rosie Winterton