‘Anti-democratic’ Speaker refuses to call Abbott

Diane Abbott has accused Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle of failing to act in the “interests of the Commons or democracy” after she was not called to speak at Prime Minister’s Questions.

The MP stood repeatedly in a bid to catch Sir Lindsay’s eye and be called to ask a question, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer using the session to press Rishi Sunak about Tory donor Frank Hester’s comments. A spokeswoman for the Speaker’s Office said there was “not enough time” to call all MPs.

Ms Abbott, writing on

X, said: “I don’t know whose interests the Speaker thinks he is serving. But it is not the interests of the Commons or democracy.”

The spokeswoman for the Speaker’s Office said: “During Prime Minister’s Questions, the Speaker must select MPs from either side of the House on an alternating basis for fairness.

“This takes place within a limited timeframe, with the chair prioritising members who are already listed on the order paper. This week – as is often the case – there was not enough time to call all members who wanted to ask a question.”

Ms Abbott was approached by the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer after the session. He has offered the MP his support, but he appeared to refuse her request to be allowed to retake the Labour whip in Parliament, more than six months after she was suspended for writing a letter questioning the seriousness of anti-Jewish racism.

PMQs is expected to run for 30 minutes. It has been known for the occupant in the Speaker’s chair to allow PMQs to run for longer to ensure MPs are called to speak.