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George Galloway in bid to halt cancellation of prime minister's questions George Galloway in bid to halt cancellation of prime minister's questions
(6 months later)
George Galloway failed in an attempt to prevent the cancellation of prime minister's questions after 245 MPs from across the house voted in favour of a change to Commons business on the day of Lady Thatcher's funeral.George Galloway failed in an attempt to prevent the cancellation of prime minister's questions after 245 MPs from across the house voted in favour of a change to Commons business on the day of Lady Thatcher's funeral.
But the Respect MP, who was joined by the veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner, won the support of 14 Labour MPs last night.But the Respect MP, who was joined by the veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner, won the support of 14 Labour MPs last night.
The former ministers Hugh Bayley and George Howarth were among 12 Labour MPs who voted against a motion to delay the start of commons until 2.30pm, ensuring that the 30-minute session of PMQs would be cancelled. A further two Labour MPs acted as tellers for the Galloway/Skinner vote.The former ministers Hugh Bayley and George Howarth were among 12 Labour MPs who voted against a motion to delay the start of commons until 2.30pm, ensuring that the 30-minute session of PMQs would be cancelled. A further two Labour MPs acted as tellers for the Galloway/Skinner vote.
Galloway said it was wrong to cancel prime minister's questions – the fourth week in a row that the session has not taken place – for the funeral of such a controversial former prime minister. The MP for Bradford West said that nobody said parliament should be silent during the second world war, citing the Norway debate of May 1940, which led to the resignation of Neville Chamberlain after a Tory rebellion.Galloway said it was wrong to cancel prime minister's questions – the fourth week in a row that the session has not taken place – for the funeral of such a controversial former prime minister. The MP for Bradford West said that nobody said parliament should be silent during the second world war, citing the Norway debate of May 1940, which led to the resignation of Neville Chamberlain after a Tory rebellion.
Galloway told MPs: "In the Norway debate, the House of Commons rose perhaps to its finest 20th-century moment. Nobody said our armed forces have suffered a disaster, the House of Commons cannot meet, the clash of ideas cannot be heard, we must muffle the drums and silence ourselves. At Dunkirk the house clashed without pause. Real war leaders like Mr Churchill understood that the whole point of us being here, the whole point of democracy, the whole point of elections, is that we do not suspend normal political activity."Galloway told MPs: "In the Norway debate, the House of Commons rose perhaps to its finest 20th-century moment. Nobody said our armed forces have suffered a disaster, the House of Commons cannot meet, the clash of ideas cannot be heard, we must muffle the drums and silence ourselves. At Dunkirk the house clashed without pause. Real war leaders like Mr Churchill understood that the whole point of us being here, the whole point of democracy, the whole point of elections, is that we do not suspend normal political activity."
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP for North-East Somerset, interrupted Galloway to say: "He has missed the rather important point that between 1935 and 1945 general elections were suspended, so democracy was suspended during the war and his history is faulty."Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP for North-East Somerset, interrupted Galloway to say: "He has missed the rather important point that between 1935 and 1945 general elections were suspended, so democracy was suspended during the war and his history is faulty."
Galloway, who returned to parliament in the Bradford West byelection last year, replied: "Actually, there were many byelections in the war, some of them producing spectacular results – as spectacular as the one in Bradford West just over a year ago."Galloway, who returned to parliament in the Bradford West byelection last year, replied: "Actually, there were many byelections in the war, some of them producing spectacular results – as spectacular as the one in Bradford West just over a year ago."
The former Labour leftwinger added that the Tories were misjudging the mood of the nation. "The honourable gentlemen opposite – I caution them. People are listening to this debate and cackling like hyenas – this Thatcherite chorus – [they] would be better to show just a touch of sensitivity to the fact that millions of people in this country hate Margaret Thatcher and those that followed her."The former Labour leftwinger added that the Tories were misjudging the mood of the nation. "The honourable gentlemen opposite – I caution them. People are listening to this debate and cackling like hyenas – this Thatcherite chorus – [they] would be better to show just a touch of sensitivity to the fact that millions of people in this country hate Margaret Thatcher and those that followed her."
Skinner railed against Thatcher. But the veteran MP, who made his name as the "Beast of Bolsover" when he taunted Thatcher in the Commons in the 1980s, showed some sympathy for the late prime minister when he castigated Tory MPs for having evicted her like a "dog in the night" in 1990.Skinner railed against Thatcher. But the veteran MP, who made his name as the "Beast of Bolsover" when he taunted Thatcher in the Commons in the 1980s, showed some sympathy for the late prime minister when he castigated Tory MPs for having evicted her like a "dog in the night" in 1990.
His comments came as Skinner rejected a suggestion from the Tory MP Nadine Dorries that he should show more sensitivity because Thatcher's body was resting overnight in Westminster. Skinner replied: "I don't need any lectures from Tories about what they do to Mrs Thatcher, because I remember that night and that following day when she stood there – she had not had a night's sleep – and she was making her final speech in parliament. Why was she making her final speech in parliament? Not because the Labour MPs had put a knife in her back. No question about that. A succession of Tory MPs had gone to her in the night and said: 'I don't think you should run again for the second ballot.'His comments came as Skinner rejected a suggestion from the Tory MP Nadine Dorries that he should show more sensitivity because Thatcher's body was resting overnight in Westminster. Skinner replied: "I don't need any lectures from Tories about what they do to Mrs Thatcher, because I remember that night and that following day when she stood there – she had not had a night's sleep – and she was making her final speech in parliament. Why was she making her final speech in parliament? Not because the Labour MPs had put a knife in her back. No question about that. A succession of Tory MPs had gone to her in the night and said: 'I don't think you should run again for the second ballot.'
"So whatever I am saying here today does not compare to the fact that a woman who had won three elections in a row then suffered the indignity of being kicked out like a dog in the night by her own MPs.""So whatever I am saying here today does not compare to the fact that a woman who had won three elections in a row then suffered the indignity of being kicked out like a dog in the night by her own MPs."
Skinner famously prompted Thatcher to say how much she was enjoying herself during her swansong performance after her downfall but before she had formally resigned as prime minister. Andrew Rawnsley, the Guardian sketchwriter, reported on 23 November 1990: "Dennis Skinner engaged her in a double act. Asked whether, in retirement, she would still oppose a European central bank, Mr Skinner fed her a line, shouting: 'No, she's goin' to be the guv'nor.'Skinner famously prompted Thatcher to say how much she was enjoying herself during her swansong performance after her downfall but before she had formally resigned as prime minister. Andrew Rawnsley, the Guardian sketchwriter, reported on 23 November 1990: "Dennis Skinner engaged her in a double act. Asked whether, in retirement, she would still oppose a European central bank, Mr Skinner fed her a line, shouting: 'No, she's goin' to be the guv'nor.'
"'What a good idea!' she cried, to swelling cheers. 'I'm enjoying this,' she said, doing little bows. 'Thank you. Thank you'.""'What a good idea!' she cried, to swelling cheers. 'I'm enjoying this,' she said, doing little bows. 'Thank you. Thank you'."
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