Point of Order

Alex Burghart Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Alex Burghart (Brentwood and Ongar) (Con)]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I wonder if I could get your guidance on seeking a correction of the record from today’s Prime Minister’s questions. In response to my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister said that Sir Olly Robbins

“was absolutely clear that nobody put pressure on him to make this appointment.”

I am afraid it is very clear from Sir Olly’s evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee that he believed that pressure was put on him. I refer to Question 532, to which he said:

“Throughout January, honestly, my office and the Foreign Secretary’s office were under constant pressure. There was an atmosphere of constant chasing”.

I refer, too, to Question 580, in response to which he said:

“while I think the Department felt under pressure, we were proud of the fact that we had not bowed to that pressure.”

I also refer to Question 615, in response to which he said that Philip Barton’s

“handover to me has contributed to my strong sense that there was an atmosphere of pressure and a certain dismissiveness about this DV process”.

I could go on. Strongly contrary to the impression that the Prime Minister wished to create, Sir Olly Robbins clearly said that his Department had been placed under pressure. I wonder if you can help explain to me how we might achieve a correction to the record.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)]

I thank the hon. Member for his point of order. As he will know, ministerial responses, including those of the Prime Minister, are not the responsibility of the Chair. However, he has put his point clearly on the record and the Treasury Bench will have heard it; if a correction is needed, I am sure that one will be brought forward.