Can't Believe They Re-Elected Lindsay Hoyle

n 21 February 2024, Conservative MP William Wragg tabled an Early day motion (EDM) in the House of Commons stating "That this House has no confidence in Mr Speaker". By 20 March the EDM had gained the support of 92 MPs,[46] including 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady and parliamentary leader of the SNP Stephen Flynn.[46][47][48] The motion effectively requests the Speaker to resign from his role.[49][50] An SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza had been submitted on one of the rare opposition days allotted to them. Hoyle was accused of breaking long-standing convention rules of the House and ignoring his own clerk's legal advice by allowing a vote on each of the amendments from the Government and the Official Opposition (normally, when opposition day motions are considered, only an amendment from the Government is selected). The Speaker's selection of amendments was viewed as partisan towards Labour. The Government withdrew their amendment at the last moment, ensuring that a vote would not take place in the Division lobby, instead Labour's non-binding amendment was nodded through by default, without a vote. Hoyle later offered his regret and gave his apologies to the House and stated his intention to meet party leaders and whips, "to discuss the way forward".[51][52][53]

The Daily Telegraph was critical of Hoyle's actions saying, "Lindsay stands accused of being partisan towards his former party — Labour" adding that Hoyle had previously "made it clear he wants to stay as Speaker after the election," the inference being that Labour would withdraw support for his re-election if their preferred amendment of a humanitarian ceasefire[54] was denied.[55][56] The Speaker was forced to deny in the Chamber that he had had a meeting with Labour advisor Sue Gray but admitted to meeting Keir Starmer, prior to his controversial amendment decision. Starmer said he "simply urged" the Speaker to ensure there was the "broadest possible debate" over calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.[57][58]

The day after the debate, the Speaker attempted to placate Stephen Flynn, by renewing his apologies and offering the SNP an emergency debate under Standing Order 24.[59][60] Flynn responded that he and his party had "no confidence" in the Speaker and he subsequently added his signature to Wragg's EDM.[61][46]

The SNP tabled a new motion, for an emergency debate on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel, calling on the UK Government to take "concrete steps" to push for a ceasefire. Hoyle rejected the new motion on 26 February and Flynn renewed his call for Hoyle to immediately step down. Flynn told the PA news agency: "Last week the Speaker of the House of Commons broke the rules, this week he has broken his word."[62][63] A "furious" Flynn said: "If 30,000 dead Palestinians aren't worthy of an emergency debate – what is?"[64] On 27 February, three Plaid Cymru MPs added their support to the "No confidence motion" followed in March by Independent MP Crispin Blunt.[65][46] On 13 March, Lee An