ALL eyes were on House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle at PMQs today.
This time last week he sparked mutiny in parliament when he ripped up the constitutional rule book to let Labour off the hook on a Gaza vote.
Rishi Sunak takes on Sir Keir Starmer at PMQsPA
Over 80 MPs have signed a motion demanding he is sacked as Speaker. Insiders reckon he will be for the chop if the number hits 100.
So, as politicians streamed into the parliamentary bear pit to watch the weekly bout, how would the Lancashire knight fair?
Was he back as the armour-plated enforcer of the constitution, ready to stamp his authority on the warring hordes – all 650 of them?
Or was he like the comical Black Knight in Monty Python’s Holy Grail – hopping around on one leg with both arms cut off and blood spurting out while insisting “tis but a scratch”?
Fellow knight of the realm Sir Keir Starmer kicked things off with a question tearing into Liz Truss.
The former PM had jetted to America last week to tell any Yank who cared to listen (which was not many) that Britain was run by a “shadowy cabal” of deep state actors who thwarted her valiant attempts to shake the country from its slumber and kickstart growth.
She had been “slagging off and undermining Britain at every opportunity”, Sir Keir thundered.
“Why is he letting her stand at the next election?” he bellowed.
But Rishi wasn’t going to let Labour snatch the title of most patriotic party that easily.
“The whole country knows his record because he sat there when antisemitism ran rife in his party and not once but twice backed a man who called Hamas friends….”, the PM hit back.
“He is spineless, hopeless and utterly shameless.” Tory MPs roared their support.
They shouted, jeered and cried mooooooooooore – like a university freshers party begging the DJ for one last song.
The noise was deafening. Sir Keir ploughed on, insisting he had changed his party “for the better”… but his comments were being drowned out by the din.
Us hacks in the press gallery above had to strain our ears to catch his words.
He is spineless, hopeless and utterly shameless
Sunak about Starmer
Rishi pointed out that he had suspended his MP Lee Anderson “straight away” for unacceptable comments about Islamists Sadiq Khan while Sir Keir had delayed and prevaricated when anti Israel slurs were made by his side.
Lee seemed only too happy to help his old leader out in this row – smiling and pointing to himself in his usual seat in the heart of the Tory Red wall corner.
Sir Keir smiled weakly, blinked and looked pleadingly at the Speaker to intervene to quieten down the Tory benches.
Usually Sir Lindsay would have leapt to his feet by now and ordered MPs to shut up or face being kicked out.
But he stayed firmly seated – as if superglued to his Speaker’s chair.
There were no orders to be quiet. No threats of disciplinary action or theatrical tickings off.
Last week’s battle has left Sir Lindsay deeply wounded.
Perhaps it was more than a flesh wound after all.
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