Boris Johnson is reported to have threatened quick revenge against Sir Lindsay Hoyle after humiliating him at the Commons last Wednesday.
After the speaker angrily said to him, ‘In here House, I’m in charge’, the Prime Minister apparently muttered “Not for too long.”
This claim is made amid an alarming deterioration of relations between Sir Lindsay, No10 and the public.
The Speaker repeatedly refuted Mr Johnson’s attempts to answer questions on Tory sleaze. This included challenging Labour leader Sir KeirStarmer’s records of working as a lawyer outside his job, raising concerns about the speaker’s inability to address Tory questions.
Sir Lindsay first reminded Mr Johnson that ‘it is Prime Minister’s Questions – not Leader of the Opposition’s Questions’. The Speaker then ordered the PM to “Sit Down!” when he tried to question Sir Keir about his legal work. The Speaker declared, “I’m not going to get challenged.”
“You might be Prime Minister in this country but I’m the one in charge in this House.”
Boris Johnson threatened quick revenge against Sir Lindsay Hoyle, he is reported to have done so after he humiliated him at the Commons last Wednesday
Just a week ago, Tory attacks against Sir Lindsay were made after Labour MPs privately complained that Speaker was too soft on Tories for their sleaze.
Some MPs say a furious Mr Johnson mouthed ‘Not for long’ – an apparent threat to remove him. Ex-Labour MP Sir Lindsay was privately accused by a Tory Minister of going too far with his dismissal of the PM.
“The PM has a right to reply to Starmer’s comments about Tory MPs’ second jobs, by asking more information about the outside work of the Opposition Leader.
An ex-Minister complained that Sir Lindsay had Bercow-esque tendencies and replaced John Bercow in the role of Minister.
After the speaker angrily stated that he was in charge of this House, the Prime Minister said ‘Not for too long’.
However, at a meeting of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories that evening – attended by Mr Johnson – senior MP Sir Roger Gale is understood to have warned him to ‘make his peace’ with the Speaker. Sir Roger reportedly said: ‘You should not speak to the Speaker that way – it’s not good.’
Tory attacks upon Sir Lindsay occurred just one week after Labour MPs complained privately about the Speaker’s softness on Tories due to sleaze and Mr Johnson’s failure to suspend a damning standards review into Owen Paterson, ex-Tory cabinet minister. Uninitiated Westminster source said that Lindsay went from being fresh after Bercow’s breath to being painful for the neck of both main parties. It’s a job that must be done.
No 10 stated that it was “totally false” the PM had made a threat to reply to Sir Lindsay’s insult.
After ‘tougher Labour’ plans fell apart, the Commons supported Government plans to limit MPs’ work outside of Parliament.
Since becoming an MP in 2015, barrister Sir Keir, a former Director of Public Prosecutions, has earned more than £100,000 for legal work, writing and speeches. Labour stated that Sir Keir was a lawyer before he became the party leader.