Speaker Lindsay Hoyle interrupted PMQs today to tell off the shadow home secretary for loudly shouting at Keir Starmer.
As Tory leader Kemi Badenoch tried to attack the PM’s record on immigration, Chris Philp backed up his boss by repeatedly gesturing towards the prime minister and yelling across the chamber throughout her questions.
It appeared to come to a head for Philp when the leader of the opposition accused Starmer of trying to relax immigration before he got into government.
Badenoch said in 2020 that the PM had signed a letter “demanding foreign criminals be allowed to stay” in the UK.
Starmer dodged her remark, and pointed out that immigration increased fourfold under the Tories after the UK left the EU – but it seemed Philp seemed reluctant to let Badenoch’s previous line of argument go.
“He signed it! He signed it!” He shouted near Badenoch’s microphone, pointing at the PM.
Badenoch ignored him and moved on to criticise Starmer for scrapping the Rwanda deterrent, saying: “Small boat arrivals have increased by nearly 20%.
“His own MPs are complaining about having to house asylum seekers! Can the prime minister tell the House how much more the government will spend on hotel accommodation because he scrapped the deterrent?”
Philp continued to make a noise throughout Badenoch’s comments.
Starmer replied: “I’d invite her to tell us what went wrong under the last government but it would take us all afternoon. We are going to smash the gangs who are running this vile trade –”
But the Speaker had clearly had enough of the Tory frontbencher, and cut in.
He said: “Mr Philp, you’re being very loud. I think now we’re going to have a little bit of silence from you.”
The Tory suddenly nodded obediently, and seemed rather quiet for the next few minutes, sitting with his arms crossed.
However, he seemed to forget the Speaker’s words by the time Badenoch twisted Starmer’s own catchphrase back at him.
As the Tory leader said, “he wants to smash the gangs, the only thing he’s smashed is his reputation,” Philp started cheering once more – but did not appear to resume his enthusiastic pointing again.