Replacement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer

Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts

Monday 17th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[The Leader of the House of Commons (Penny Mordaunt)]

With apologies to the Leader of the Opposition and the House, the Prime Minister is detained on urgent business—[Interruption.]—and they will have to make do—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I must hear the answer to why the Prime Minister is not here.

[Penny Mordaunt]

I afraid you will have to make do with me, Mr Speaker.

The Prime Minister has taken the decision to appoint my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Jeremy Hunt), one of the longest serving and most experienced parliamentarians, as her Chancellor. Their overriding priority is to restore financial stability in the face of volatile global conditions. We will take whatever tough decisions are necessary, and have made changes to the growth plan, which the Chancellor is waiting to update the House on as soon as this urgent question finishes.

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[Penny Mordaunt]

Let me start by saying that I am quietly confident that the Leader of the Opposition will not have his 15 minutes of fame. With regard to questions raised on economic policy, I will defer to the Chancellor. Hon. Members will want time to question him fully and hear the detail, and I do not wish to eat into that time. Our constituents will want to hear about the issues facing them—their bills, mortgages and benefits, and their businesses—so I had wondered what else the Leader of the Opposition wished to discuss in an urgent question that would delay such an important statement.

In his urgent question, the Leader of the Opposition paints a contrast, so let me paint one, too. The decision taken by our Prime Minister would have been a very tough one politically and personally, yet she took it, and she did so because it was manifestly in the national interest that she did. She did not hesitate to do so because her focus is on the wellbeing of every one of our citizens. It was the right thing to do, and whether you agree with it or not, it took courage to do it.

In contrast, what the right hon. and learned Gentleman has done today, at this most serious moment, took no courage or judgment or regard to the national interest. Three years ago, when this Parliament was paralysed by Brexit, a general election would have been in the national interest, and he blocked one. Today, when the country needs some stability and urgent legislation to put through cost-of-living measures, and while we are in the middle of an economic war levelled at every school and hospital in the country, he calls for one and for weeks of disruption and delay.

We will take no lectures from the right hon. and learned Gentleman on working in the national interest. I could point to his frustration of our leaving the EU and his campaigning for a second referendum. I could point to his support for the right hon. Member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn) and his positions on NATO, his arguments against our leaving lockdown, or his support for our involvement with the EU vaccines agency, all of which were against the national interest. Nor will we take any lectures on consistency of policy or messaging. He has abandoned every single one of his pledges made during the Labour leadership contest—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I think the country wants to hear what is being said and, if I cannot hear, they cannot hear. Can we please listen to the Leader of the House? I am sure that she is coming to the end now.

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) (Lab)]

Are you coming to the subject now?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Mr Perkins, if you want to go and get a cup of tea, I am more than happy to pay for it.

[Penny Mordaunt]

That is why, even on our toughest and most disappointing days, I will always be proud to sit on the Government side of the House. We will put the national interest first. Now, let us get on and hear from the Chancellor.

[Mr Speaker]

First, I want to hear from the Father of the House, more importantly: Sir Peter Bottomley.

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[Penny Mordaunt]

I agree with the Father of the House. The right hon. and learned Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Keir Starmer) has reversed his position on economic justice, social justice, climate change, promoting peace and human rights, common ownership, defending migrants’ rights, strengthening the rights of workers and trade unions, radical devolution of power, wealth and opportunity, equality and effective opposition to the Tories.

[Mr Speaker]

We now come to the SNP spokesperson, Kirsten Oswald.

[Kirsten Oswald (East Renfrewshire) (SNP)]

Today, Scotland’s First Minister set out an optimistic, ambitious and credible economic plan for Scotland’s future—a leader who spent over an hour setting out and answering questions on the positive case for our country’s independence. That is in stark contrast to a Prime Minister hiding in Downing Street, terrified to answer for the mess she has made—the mess that will cause so much harm to all our constituents. Mr Speaker, I am going to keep this short and to the point. Can the Leader of the House tell us: where on earth is the Prime Minister? If she does not even have the backbone to show up here today, is there really any point in her showing up here again? Surely, time’s up. She needs to go and let the people decide.

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[Penny Mordaunt]

As I am sure the Chancellor will say, we are in very volatile times. The war in Ukraine is not just a war against the people of Ukraine; it is an economic war against other nations, too. We will always do the right thing in those circumstances.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Liz Saville Roberts.

[Liz Saville Roberts (Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC)]

Diolch yn fawr, Mr Llefarydd. The new Chancellor’s veneer of fiscal responsibility fails to disguise the fact that imposing more painful austerity is a political choice made to save the absentee Prime Minister from the consequences of her ideological experiment. With the Welsh Government already facing a shortfall of more than £4 billion over three years, and with public services close to buckling, further austerity will entrench the vast wealth inequalities that characterise this disunited kingdom. Will the Leader of the House admit that now even the pretence of levelling up is dead?

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[Jess Phillips (Birmingham, Yardley) (Lab)]

I find it absolutely incredible that the Leader of the House is incredulous that people might want to hear from the Prime Minister, as if it is a political game to ask questions of the leader of our country. That is an embarrassing thing to assert. She so wants to hear from the Chancellor but, in the national interest, can I ask her to be completely honest, because nothing we have seen has been honest—[Interruption.] I apologise.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. It was not about an individual, and the comment has been withdrawn. Carry on.

[Jess Phillips]

Oh yes, it was not about an individual.

We had the statement at 11 o’clock, when I was on the train—I could actually get on a train—so why was it that the markets needed reassuring?

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[Chris Bryant]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

Is it relevant to the question? [Interruption.] If it is relevant, I will take the point of order.

[Chris Bryant]

I am grateful, Mr Speaker. You know that for the past hour we have been listening to questions that were meant to be directed to the Prime Minister. The Leader of the House said repeatedly that there were reasons why she could not be here. If there were legitimate reasons, I am sure that every single Member of the House would want to hear them. Now that the Prime Minister has arrived, would this not be a perfect opportunity for her to explain why she could not be here?

[Mr Speaker]

Let us put this to bed. It is not for me but for the Government to put forward Ministers to respond to urgent questions once they are granted. It is not a matter for the Chair. The hon. Member has put the point on the record, and I note that the Prime Minister is now in her place.

[Mr Bradshaw]

Just get up and tell us—go on.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Mr Bradshaw, I expect better. I want you to be silent while I read this out, as it is very important.

Before I call the Chancellor to make his statement—[Interruption.] Yes, I should think so. This has happened a few times today. That is the third apology, and I do not want any more.

Before I call the Chancellor to make his statement I would like to point out that a British Sign Language interpretation of proceedings is available to watch on parliamentlive.tv. I now call the Chancellor of the Exchequer.