Tag: Peter Bone

Monday’s Commons debate on Theresa May’s decision to call off her Brexit vote ended in high drama as a Labour MP seized the ceremonial mace in protest. Conservative MPs shouted “Disgrace” and “Expel him” as he raised the five-foot silver gilt object aloft. The Brighton Kemptown MP appeared unsure of his next step and handed the mace back to Commons officials, as the Speaker, John Bercow, demanded he put it back down. He must leave or be escorted. I felt parliament had effectively given up its sovereign right to govern properly. As the symbol of royal authority in the house, the mace is carried every day into the Commons chamber by the serjeant at arms, who places it on the table of the house. It is due to be heard on Tuesday and is backed by the Tory MPs Peter Bone and Sarah Wollaston. The official feed of parliamentary proceedings, broadcast on BBC Parliament, did not show the mace being seized in common with a policy on not showing protests. The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, was the last MP to take the mace from its place in 2009, when he was a backbencher. McDonnell was suspended from the Commons for five days for grabbing it in protest at the government’s decision to allow a third runway at Heathrow airport.