‘Queen’s death united MPS like never before’
EVERY strike of Big Ben will remind us how the death of the Queen brought the country together like nothing else, according to Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
The Commons Speaker also said the tragedy has transformed the Commons and could lead to lasting change for the better.
The 65-year-old said he watched MPS react with “grief, shock, respect and admiration” as the Queen’s reign ended.
He said: “We’ll never see anything like this again. It’s unbelievable, that here we had a country and a Parliament that was very tetchy with each other, very scratchy.
“And suddenly, it’s brought Parliament together, it’s brought the country together, united in grief.”
Sir Lindsay admits he is still in shock, but in the days since her death the eyes of the world have been on Parliament.
MPS from across the political divide have shared their stories of how the Queen touched their lives.
And a Commons in which MPS were battling over energy policy changed in an instant when news arrived of doctors’ concern for the Queen’s health.
Sir Lindsay, who joined the Commons in 1997, said: “It united the House. It’s something I’ve never seen before.”
The Speaker hopes the response to the death of the Queen will have changed the House of Commons for the better, reminding MPS of all they have in common.
He says he wants a “nicer House of Commons going forward” that is “more pleasant, more respectful, more tolerant” – but not boring. MPS do not have to agree with one another, he said, but they can always show respect.
Sir Lindsay found himself at the centre of a massive logistical operation after the announcement that the monarch had died.
Ceremonial items were taken out of storage and details of protocol scrutinised.
The hardest moment for him came during a rehearsal for the entrance of the Queen’s coffin intowestminster Hall.
They practised with a bare coffin that was not covered with the Royal Standard.
This was the boldest sign that a beloved
Queen had truly passed away. “It really brought it home,” he said. “This is so real.”
On Wednesday, when the Queen’s coffin was brought to Parliament for the lying-instate, he found a unique beauty in this moment of profound sadness.
He looked up at the sunlight hitting the Elizabeth Tower – which houses Big Ben and was named in her honour to mark her Diamond Jubilee – as the Royal Family gathered to accompany the coffin into the ancient hall. He said to those around him: “Look at its beauty... She will always be remembered.”
After years of painstaking restoration, scaffolding surrounding the Elizabeth Tower was gone and the tower shone in the light. “Everything had been completed and the sun on that was so radiant,” Sir Lindsay said. “Just like Her Majesty.”
Westminster Hall was founded by the son of William the Conqueror. In recent days it has been a destination for multitudes who want to show their respects to the Queen. “What a setting in which Her Majesty can lie in state,” he said. “I cannot think of anywhere better in the United Kingdom... everything points to here.”
Tomorrow, he will have a final duty when the coffin is taken from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey.
“The Royal Family will come for their private time and I will see the coffin leave this House, closing the door,” he said.
A priority this week will be allowing MPS to swear their loyalty to the new King. There is no constitutional requirement for this, but the Speaker understands why it is important for many members.
He said: “The fact is people want to show their allegiance, they want to take the oath to the new King, King Charles.”
Sir Lindsay, who ran a textile and screenprinting business before entering full-time politics, reacts with astonishment that he is Speaker at this time in history. “Did I expect to be doing this? No, absolutely not. It’s very moving and I’m very, lucky.”