Chaos erupted in the Commons today as Lee Anderson grilled David Lammy over the pubs row engulfing Labour at Deputy Prime Minister’s Questions. Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was forced to intervene as another member began heckling during the Reform MP’s question.
Mr Anderson said: “It was reported on the TV yesterday that the Labour backbenchers are revolting, now that is a matter of opinion but unlike the Labour backbenchers and the Prime Minister…”
But the Reform chief whip stopped speaking as he faced shouts from an MP that he does not have a TV licence while others could be heard laughing.
Sir Lindsay then intervened and said: “I didn’t want to have to get up. Who was the person that was speaking out then? If you haven’t got the guts to admit to shouting leave the chamber.”
Mr Anderson, who tore up a TV licence letter while on stage at a Reform party conference, went on: “Unlike the Prime Minister of our country I’ve never been thrown out or barred from a pub and after yesterday’s disastrous announcement to save our pubs there’s no wonder he’s cleared off to China.
“But I’ve got one question for the Deputy Prime Minister, will he come with me to Ashfield to visit some pubs and speak to some landlords and explain to them why over 500 pubs have closed since this Labour Government came into power and why another 500 pubs will close in the next year. Come on, be a man.”
Mr Lammy replied: “I think I once campaigned with him when he was a member of the Labour Party and it’s been said that when he left he enhanced the IQ of the Labour Party and the IQ of the party he went to.
“I wonder what job he is pitching for on Reform’s shadow cabinet. They’ve got Nadhim Zahawi to advise on tax, the MP for Newark to open up the borders, now they need Liz Truss to crash the economy.”
In a social media post after the Commons session, Mr Anderson insisted he “won’t be silenced”.
He said: “Once again today they tried to shout me down. Thanks to the Speaker as he called this nonsense out straight away. Cowardly behaviour from Labour and one of the Independent MPs behind me. And a kick in the teeth from Lammy to our hospitality industry.”
It comes after Labour yesterday announced more support for pubs over business rate changes announced at the Budget which sparked a backlash but critics warn the measures do not go far enough.