Ajoutée le 6 févr. 2017
Joanna Cherry MP has her speech cut short by Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle late in Brexit debate, subject of which, ironically, is on the status of devolved administrations during exit negotiations. Alex Salmond angrily defends Cherry. Members had over 7 hours to debate, Cherry was only the second SNP MP to be called in the dying minutes of the entire session.
Joanna Cherry MP has her speech cut short by Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle late in Brexit debate, subject of which, ironically, is on the status of devolved administrations during exit negotiations. Alex Salmond angrily defends Cherry. Members had over 7 hours to debate, Cherry was only the second SNP MP to be called in the dying minutes of the entire session.
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Tommy Sheppard MP
(SNP: Edinburgh East)
So not everyone spends their evenings watching Parliament TV – and who can blame you. It’s often not the most exciting watch. But I do think it’s important that folk know what happened last night. Even after some kip, I’m still pretty angry.
We have 3 days to debate around 100 motions on the Brexit bill. Yesterday we focused on 2 elements – the rights of EU citizens and the role of devolved administrations. It works out at about an average of four minutes to debate each amendment.
In one of the many bizarre aspects of debate here no time limit is placed on speeches during committee stage debates. When that is combined with the informal gentleman's club hierarchy whereby the longer serving get priority, it means it's very hard for new MPs to get a word in edgeways.
In 8 hours of debate, only 4 MPs representing Scottish constituencies got to speak. In the 3 hour debate on the devolved administrations we had 1 MP representing Wales, 1 Northern Ireland and 2 Scotland.
One Tory MP spoke for longer than all members from Scotland combined - on a debate about the role of the Scottish Parliament in Brexit.
Our second was my colleague Joanna Cherry QC. After 2 minutes (when many others had spoken for around 20 mins each – including a Tory who attempted to filibuster and had already had 20mins+ in the first debate) the Deputy Speaker said he expected her to finish up, that he had been kind enough to let the SNP speak and she should not abuse it.
Joanna made the point that she should be heard and carried on. She was basically told to sit down – she was done. Alex Salmond raised a point of order and a number of the group walked out in disgust. It wasn’t pretty.
You elected me to represent you. To do that I need to be able to speak.
Last night the voices of the people of Scotland were not heard. We were silenced by the mother of parliaments not being fit for purpose.
It shouldn’t be this difficult.
The fact that the debate was delayed by points of order on the clerks wearing wigs (some Tories were upset that Bercow had ruled that they no longer need to) shows just where we are at.
I’m proud to represent Edinburgh East and I will continue to fight for my constituents with all I have. But sometimes you do wonder…
Tommy Shepherd MP
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