Latest news with #SirLindsayHoyle
The Independent
7 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Speaker warns that abuse and threats are undermining democracy
The scale of abuse, threats and intimidation facing MPs is undermining the health of democracy, a cross-party inquiry has found. A survey by the Speaker's Conference revealed about half of MPs said threatening behaviour had caused anxiety or depression (49%), with a similar share feeling unsafe as a result (52%). The inquiry concluded that electoral law is 'not fit for purpose' in relation to tackling abuse of political candidates in elections and called for a Government review to assess security and electoral integrity. Speaker's Conference"> This phase of the Conference was established in 2024 to help ensure that elections to Parliament are conducted freely and fairly, without threats or violence. It also seeks to enable candidates to campaign safely and support elected representatives to do their job securely. Commenting on the findings, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Commons Speaker and chairman of the Speaker's Conference, said: 'Participating in free and fair democratic processes – as a candidate or a Member of Parliament – is a privilege, and we expect that to come with robust political discourse and debate. 'But abuse, threats and intimidation should never be part of this job. It threatens the health of our democracy, and forces people to choose between the public good and their own safety and wellbeing. 'I am grateful to members, their staff and the witnesses we have heard from to date for sharing their experiences with us and look forward to working with colleagues on the next phase of the Conference's work.' In other findings, 96% of MPs and 69% of their staff members indicated that they had experienced some form of abuse in their role. One in five MPs said they had 'hesitated' about debating or voting on an issue because of the abuse they expected to receive, while 29% said they had considered not standing for re-election for the same reason. The survey also found that 17% of MPs had considered resigning from public office due to concerns over threatening behaviour and their personal security. Many staff who responded to the survey said the abuse they or their MP had received had caused them to feel anxious or depressed (42%), or unsafe (48%). In a series of recommendations, the committee said: 'Currently electoral law is not fit for purpose when it comes to tackling harassment, abuse and intimidation of candidates. 'The Government should undertake a full review of electoral law, including identifying practices or processes that unintentionally undermine security or electoral integrity.' The recommendations 'as a minimum' include the removal of the option for home addresses to be published as part of the nomination process for candidates. The MPs also called for the Government to work with the electoral commission 'to review the adequacy of nomination requirements in protecting elections from candidates seeking to mislead the electorate or undermine the integrity of the democratic process'. The report called for a review to ensure section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, which aims to prevent false statements regarding candidates' character and conduct, is enforceable and equipped to keep pace with developments in technology such as AI and deepfakes. The report said the Speaker will work with political parties in Parliament and the Electoral Commission to establish a code of conduct for all candidates, MPs and parties, including a collectively agreed set of 'principles to guide behaviours and language when campaigning'. However, the committee concluded that further security measures 'would lead to a fundamental and undesirable change in the way MPs carry out their roles and engage with their constituents'. It added: 'The focus must instead be on encouraging appropriate uptake and effective delivery of existing measures… and reducing the level of threat posed to MPs and candidates, which will be at the centre of the Conference's second phase of work.'
Telegraph
02-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Half of MPs feel unsafe
Half of MPs feel unsafe, a report has found. The scale of abuse, threats and intimidation facing MPs is undermining the health of democracy, according to a cross-party inquiry. A survey by the Speaker's Conference revealed about half of MPs said threatening behaviour had caused anxiety or depression (49 per cent), with a similar share feeling unsafe as a result (52 per cent). The inquiry concluded that electoral law was 'not fit for purpose' in relation to tackling abuse of candidates in elections and called for a government review to assess security and electoral integrity. Commenting on the findings, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Commons Speaker and chairman of the Speaker's Conference, said: 'Participating in free and fair democratic processes – as a candidate or a Member of Parliament – is a privilege and we expect that to come with robust political discourse and debate. 'But abuse, threats and intimidation should never be part of this job. It threatens the health of our democracy and forces people to choose between the public good and their own safety and wellbeing. 'I am grateful to members, their staff and the witnesses we have heard from to date for sharing their experiences with us and look forward to working with colleagues on the next phase of the Conference's work.' In other findings, 96 per cent per cent of MPs and 69 per cent of their staff members indicated that they had experienced some form of abuse.
The Independent
02-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Watch: Furious Lindsay Hoyle scolds Keir Starmer over defence review ‘leaks'
Sir Lindsay Hoyle accused the government of committing a 'blatant breach' of the ministerial code over how it released details of a major defence review on Monday, 2 June. The Speaker took exception to details of the strategic defence review (SDR) being briefed out over the weekend and Sir Keir Starmer holding a media event several hours before the document was published in Parliament. Making it clear that the House of Commons, rather than the media, should be informed first, Sir Lindsay said of Labour: 'This shows complete disregard for the House and for the honourable members.' "The government appears to have breached the principle set out in paragraph 9.1 of the ministerial code – that when Parliament is in session, the most important announcements of government policy should be made in the first instance in Parliament.'
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: Sir Lindsay Hoyle splurged nearly £5,500 of taxpayers' cash on private planes during a Caribbean tour to paradise islands
Sir Lindsay Hoyle splurged nearly £5,500 on private planes during a Caribbean tour, it can be revealed. The Commons Speaker used more taxpayers' money to charter three planes to hop between the paradise islands of St Maarten, Montserrat, Anguilla and Antigua. It was part of a week-long jaunt which included a two-night 'official visit' to Montserrat to meet his counterpart on the island. It also included a four-night stay in Anguilla to attend the Conference of Speakers of the UK House of Commons and Overseas Territories. In total, Sir Lindsay spent more than £100,000 of taxpayers' cash 'sponsoring' the conference. While it was reported during the 2023 trip Sir Lindsay travelled there by private plane and stayed in hotels costing up to £900 a night, it was not known that he had chartered three private planes while in the Caribbean or that he went to St Maarten and Antigua – neither being on the trip docket. The Daily Mail had fought for further details of the trip that previously were not spelled out in Sir Lindsay's official log, via Freedom of Information requests. The private plane from St Maarten to Montserrat cost £2,350. From Montserrat to Anguilla and then from there to Antigua cost £1,500 each for Sir Lindsay and three officials. The newly discovered flights come to a total of £5,350 of taxpayers' cash. A complete bill of £101,552.60 was splurged on throwing the speakers' conference so eight of Sir Lindsay's counterparts and 30 delegates could attend – with £47,962.43 spent on flights. He also handed the National Assembly of Anguilla a £50,000 'organising grant' to prepare for the conference. It comes amid growing questions about the scale of Sir Lindsay's travel expenses, which have surged past £300,000 since he became Speaker in 2019. He has taken his wife on several trips along with up to four staff. On his latest jaunt to Malaysia in the middle of February, he spent more than £25,000 on business-class flights, hotels and restaurants for him and staff. John O'Connell, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers will be livid that they have to pick up these sky-high bills for private planes. Getting government business overseas done quickly is one thing, but continuing to stump up for politicians with a taste for the good life is quite another. 'Politicians have to cut out unnecessary spending and treat taxpayers with the respect they deserve.' Former Tory cabinet minister David Jones said: 'To spend money on three chartered aircraft flights in the Caribbean, at a time when the people of this country were suffering greatly as a consequence of the massive increase in the cost of living, is turning a tin ear to public sentiment. It shouldn't be happening. 'It's a very nice jolly in the Caribbean, but to hire private planes to cruise around is not a good look. It's just not acceptable.' Referring to the fact that Sir Lindsay was a Labour MP before becoming the Commons Speaker, he added: 'Given how Labour are whacking up taxes at the moment, the old 'champagne socialist' jibe has come true. 'I voted for Sir Lindsay Hoyle for a change from [former Commons Speaker] John Bercow, because I thought he'd be a refreshing change. But I don't see much difference.' The Speaker's Office said one reason details of the private planes were not listed in his official travel expenses log was because some of the costs were allocated to the Clerk of the House, while some were included in the overall budget for sponsoring the conference. They said he flew via St Maarten and then chartered a private plane for the Montserrat 'official visit' because there were no direct flights.
BBC News
31-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Rugby league honours: Anger at no knighthoods in 130 years
Rugby league authorities say their players have been "poorly treated" by the honours system, as pressure grows for a first knighthood or damehood for the sport has gone 130 years without such an honour."It is surprising and disappointing that the relevant authorities have still not deemed anyone worthy of a knighthood or damehood for their services to rugby league," said a spokesperson for the Rugby Football League, which governs the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, added his voice, telling BBC News the lack of rugby league knighthoods "cannot be right" when other sports, including rugby union, have had such honours "quite regularly". The leader of a cross-party group of MPs who support rugby league has suggested the "scandal" of the lack of top honours for stars of the sport was linked to snobbery and class prejudice."This, I suspect, is because they come from working class backgrounds, didn't go to the right schools, and didn't mix in the right social circles," said David Baines, chair of the all-party Parliamentary rugby league group."Well enough is enough. It's 2025, and myself and other MPs are clear it's time for things to change."Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who is a former president of the Rugby Football League, said: "Rugby league has a long and proud history and is littered with examples of players who have excelled in the sport and inspired future generations to play the game."He says there is something wrong when the sport "cannot boast one single player, over its 130-year history, who has received a knighthood". "I want to see rugby league given the recognition it deserves and hope this will be addressed in the near future," said the contrast, rugby union, often seen as having more middle class roots, has been getting knighthoods for more than 100 years. Among more recent rugby knights was Sir Bill Beaumont, awarded "for services to rugby union football" in have been many other sporting knighthoods and damehoods, including in athletics, yachting, football, golf, tennis, horse racing, cycling and rowing. Next weekend will see the sport's showcase Challenge Cup Final at Wembley speaking on behalf of the MPs' rugby league group, Mr Baines said the lack of such an honour for rugby league was an unfairness to "some of Britain's greatest sporting heroes".That included "legends of the game who overcame racial and class prejudice such as Billy Boston and Clive Sullivan, to modern heroes on and off the pitch like Kevin Sinfield," said Mr Baines. England star Kevin Sinfield has raised more than £10m running for causes related to motor neurone disease, in memory of his late teammate Rob Boston was a celebrated Welsh-born rugby league player from the 1950s and 1960s, who is now aged 90. A petition was launched earlier this year to award him a knighthood."We do believe rugby league has historically been poorly treated in terms of recognition in various ways, including honours lists," said a spokesman for the Rugby Football have been honours, such as CBEs and OBEs, but no knighthoods. The Prince of Wales personally gave Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow their CBEs last year at the ground in Leeds where they used to play.A BBC analysis earlier this year revealed that a disproportionately low number of top honours, such as knighthoods and damehoods, were going to people from the north of England and working class backgrounds - which overlaps with the rugby league the most recent New Year Honours only 6% of higher awards went to people in the north of England and 4% to people from working-class government has recognised there are problems with under-representation in the honours and an independent chair is being recruited to improve diversity and outreach."The government wants to ensure that the honours system reflects the diversity of UK society. Anyone can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to be recognised," said a government spokesman. Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
