Lindsay Hoyle: UK had 鈥榖anana republic politics鈥�
Recent political chaos was politics at an all time low, says UK House of Commons Speaker
The UK鈥檚 recent political turmoil was 鈥榖anana republic politics鈥�, the Speaker of the House of Commons told the 麻豆约拍. The post-Brexit chaos and frequent churn of prime ministers and ministers was 鈥榩olitics at an all-time low鈥� Sir Lindsay Hoyle told the 麻豆约拍鈥檚 HARDtalk programme. 鈥楾hat period鈥as my biggest worry about democracy鈥�, he said.
In 2022, the UK had Conservatives Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak as prime ministers in quick succession, and Mr Sunak is the incumbent. Sir Lindsay said: 鈥業 never want our parliament to be put in that position again where we have three prime ministers in six weeks, where we have ministers who are resigning, where I do not even know whether we are going to have a minister to answer questions.鈥�
Sir Lindsay told Stephen Sackur he was concerned about the UK鈥檚 global reputation: 鈥榃hat the world thought about the mother of all parliaments. What it thought about the bastion of democracy鈥�. Asked whether the UK became an international laughing stock, Sir Lindsay responded 鈥榃e did鈥t was absolutely absurd鈥�.
But he said things have changed. 鈥楾hank goodness we鈥檙e bringing back some stability where parliament matters, government matters.鈥�
Speaking from Westminster, Sir Lindsay said politicians will be judged by what happened. 鈥楾he public are going to make a decision on the chaos of the period and on the chaos of what they see.鈥�
Sir Lindsay was a Labour MP, but on assuming the role of Speaker is supposed to be independent and non-partisan after assuming the role. Stephen Sackur challenged Sir Lindsay on his warning about politicians being judged on the recent political turmoil, and whether that was a political statement by someone supposed to be neutral.
But Sir Lindsay denied he was making a political statement. 鈥楾hat鈥檚 not political鈥�.If I don鈥檛 know who鈥檚 going to answer the questions, what level of governance have you got? How is anybody accountable if we don鈥檛 know if anybody鈥檚 going to turn up?...We are all judged, whether it鈥檚 the Green Party鈥hether it鈥檚 a Conservative, whoever it be. We are accountable to the electorate.鈥�
The next UK general election is scheduled to be held no later than 28 January 2025.
