Under a science lab microscope you can watch organisms fight against pathogens. The threatened bodies clench and recoil and squirt various acids, hoping to destroy the invasive cells before they become any bigger.
The same happens in the Commons when Reform MPs are given a chance to speak. Left-wingers regard Reform and its small contingent of MPs as bacteria. They scold and scorn them and in some cases even hiss. Biologists call this sort of thing antimicrobial resistance. Political analysts call it terror of losing one’s seat.
Nigel Farage had one of his scheduled questions at PMQs. Hansard, Parliament’s official record, will tell you that the Hon’ Gent’ for Clacton asked about two-tier policing, a concept Sir Keir Starmer denied. Hansard will also record that Sir Keir expressed shock at Mr Farage’s reaction to the murder of Henry Nowak.
Hansard is a fine publication but its verbatim report cannot convey fully what happened. Allow me to try.
The Nowak murder had already been discussed at length by the time Noah Law (Lab, St Austell) rose to ask the question on the order paper immediately before Mr Farage’s slot. Government whips always like to tee up Sir Keir with an easy hit before the Farage bacillus is called. Shrewd whipping or playing politics? Take your pick.
Mr Noah obediently returned to the Nowak tragedy. Sir Keir gratefully grasped this chance to dwell once more on the Nowak family’s bereavement. The Prime Minister is seldom much good at Commons theatrics but this time he managed to create a heavy dramatic silence as he twice quoted the request of the Nowak family for politicians to resist creating ‘further division, hatred or tension’.
Speaker Hoyle: ‘Nigel Farage!’
As Nigel Farage rose, the Commons organism went into frantic resistance mode, writes Quentin Letts
Sir Keir reacted to Mr Farage with another uncharacteristically artful deployment of pauses
Is it fair for MPs to shout down opposing voices in Parliament, or does this undermine democracy?
As the Reform leader rose, the Commons organism went into frantic resistance mode. Labour backbenchers pointed and shouted at him. ‘Shame on you! Shame! You’re a disgrace! Disgrace!’ This increased when Mr Farage started to say it was ‘now clear to growing millions that we are living under two-tier policing’. Leftists shook their heads, groaned and said ‘rubbish!’
Conservatives did not join the rhubarbing. They just swivelled in the direction of where the Reform contingent sits. These Tories proceeded to watch with interest while the rest of the establishment went tonto.
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Behind Mr Farage sat three Lib Dems, one of them a burly operative called Taylor from Sutton. Mr Taylor, aware he was within camera-shot of Mr Farage, pulled expressions of wild scepticism. His right eye kept doing odd things.
Mr Farage mentioned the previous night’s anti-police demo in Southampton. Up went a volley of outrage from Government MPs. Mr Taylor joined this chorus of dissent, yelling ‘you incited it!’ Mr Farage was by now also taking some flak from pro-Palestine independents who sit behind him. ‘Condemn the violence!’ bellowed various people. Jonathan Brash (Lab, Hartlepool) was clucking like a pheasant. Emily Darlington (Lab, Milton Keynes C) was practically laying an egg. Paul Foster (Lab, S Ribble) boiled with small-man fury.
Speaker Hoyle let this run. Should he have done more to protect Mr Farage, particularly from the hecklers behind him? Maybe. But Sir Lindsay Hoyle is only human and he has presumably heard rumours that Reform is thinking of standing a candidate against him in his Chorley seat at the next General Election. It would not be the first time Mr Farage broke the convention that Speakers stand unopposed.
Sir Keir reacted to Mr Farage with another uncharacteristically artful deployment of pauses. For a second time he used repetition to underscore disbelief. The Reform leader had called for ‘rage – rage!’, gasped the PM. ‘It shows exactly who he is.’ He flicked a fingertip towards him with that last word. Mr Farage placed a thumb against his teeth and affected amusement. The Reform blokes either side of him sat in rigid fury.
One lot calls for rage. Another lot responds to that in Parliament with its own display of anger. And they accuse one another of playing politics.
