Point of Order

Edward Leigh Excerpts

Thursday 21st March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

It should really come after the business statement.

[Mr Speaker]

Indeed. Yes, I think I will indulge the right hon. Gentleman because of his natural courtesy.

[Sir Edward Leigh]

I do not want to be too courteous, Mr Speaker, because Quentin Letts may accuse me of being your toady and crony.

This is a serious point of order. You may recall that I asked you on Tuesday about your ruling on the Government not bringing back the same motion and whether, if they change it substantially, with a unilateral declaration, that will change something. I read all over the media last night that some people called “Cooper-Boles” are bringing back an amendment. Apart from the presumption that you would select that amendment, surely under your ruling, it would have to be substantially different, would it not?

[Mr Speaker]

I tried to explain to the right hon. Gentleman before that I will deal with these matters in the particular when there is a substantive matter for me to consider. Let me absolutely clear: what I am not going to do is to pronounce before it is necessary to do so on the hoof, on the back of a colleague, however distinguished and much loved, for whom the matter is at that moment especially material. That is not the way to do business here. I will rule as and when it is necessary to do so, and that moment—I say it with all courtesy to the right hon. Gentleman—is not now.