LABOUR have been rapped by the Commons Speaker for showing “complete disregard” for Parliament by announcing major new defence policies to the media first.
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle blasted ministers, who he noted were “not slow to complain when the previous government made major policy announcements outside Parliament”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled the Strategic Defence Review at a press conference in Glasgow on Monday morning, sparking the anger of the Commons chair.
Major policy announcements are supposed to be made in Parliament, according to Westminster rules set out in the Ministerial Code.
Hoyle said: “This morning, the Government published the Strategic Defence Review, the Prime Minister made a speech and held a press conference in Glasgow, in addition to other media appearances. This follows several days of media briefing.
“I am disappointed once again the Government appears to have breached the principle set out in par 9.1 of the Ministerial Code that, when the Parliament is in session, the most important announcements of Government policy should be made in the first instance in Parliament.”
He said that while there were some instances where timings would be more complicated, the announcement of the defence review was “wholly within the Government’s discretion”, adding: “It is highly regrettable that, once again, ministers have chosen to hold a major media event before coming to the House."
“This shows complete disregard for the House and for honourable members," Hoyle said.
"I note that ministers, when they were in opposition were not slow to complain when the previous government made major policy announcements outside Parliament.”
Commons leader Lucy Powell said the UK Government was committed to the principles of the Ministerial Code and pointed to examples where major announcements had been made in Parliament.
She added: “I am satisfied that the Government is coming to the House regularly to keep Parliament informed.”
Hoyle interrupted, saying: “I’m not satisfied, I think that’s the key because both back benches, quite rightly, should hear it first. I don’t care how many have been done in the House, it’s the ones that have not been done we should be talking about.”
