Fiona Bruce omits key SNP details in Question Time debate on Commons chaos

BBC Question Time host Fiona Bruce (left) and Speaker of the Commons Lindsay Hoyle (Image: BBC/PA)

FIONA Bruce has been criticised after  she missed out key details about the SNP when summarising Wednesday’s chaotic events in the House of Commons on Question Time.

Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle sparked uproar after choosing to break with long-established convention – a key pillar of the UK constitution – and selecting a Labour amendment for debate on an SNP Opposition Day.

The result, of which Hoyle was forewarned by senior officials, was that the SNP’s motion was not put to a vote on a day when they were supposed to lead parliamentary business.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has called for Hoyle to resign, saying he had effectively made his party’s Opposition Day all about Labour.

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However, host Bruce did not mention how the SNP were supposed to have a chance to control parliamentary business when summarising the controversy on Question Time. She also did not mention that Hoyle’s decision came after he met with Labour leader Keir Starmer.

An SNP source said people “should expect better from the BBC”.

Summarising the reason for the backlash against Hoyle’s decision, Bruce said: “What the Speaker of the House decided to do yesterday was allow, basically, three debates on two amendments and a motion.

“So, the Conservatives would be able to debate their suggestion, Labour would be able to debate their suggestion, the SNP their suggestion – all slightly different wordings about a ceasefire or humanitarian pause.

“It’s unusual to have a Conservative – if there’s a Conservative and Labour one, and the Conservatives are in Government, usually the Labour one would fall by the wayside.

“Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, decided to allow all three. He said afterwards because he was mindful of the fact that MPs have been threatened, and he wanted everyone to be able to debate.

“Some people have questioned if that’s actually why he made that decision but that’s what he’s saying, and he apologised for that.”

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She then added: “It’s all pretty complicated.”

The moment came as panellists responded to the question: “Are MPs more interested in point-scoring than the war in Gaza?”

The SNP, the third largest party in the House, was also not credited with opening the debate, with Tory MP Laura Farris saying, “if you listen to the substance of the debate, particularly the opening remarks from the Government minister and the shadow foreign secretary, it was overwhelming how much consensus there was”.

READ MORE: Keir Starmer reported to Privileges Committee over ‘intimidation’ allegations

An SNP source said: “With thousands of innocent children, women and men being killed, it has been the SNP who have used two Opposition Day debates to get Westminster to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.

“It’s deeply shameful but hardly surprising that the downright disgraceful antics we saw at Westminster this week has led to the substance of the debate being sidelined and the SNP Opposition Day debate being turned into a Labour Opposition Day – although people should expect better from the BBC.”

Nearly 70 MPs, more than a tenth of the Commons, have signed a motion proposed by senior Conservative William Wragg expressing no confidence in Hoyle after chaotic scenes in parliament.

Hoyle has apologised for his “mistake” and offered an emergency debate on the SNP motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in a bid to calm their fury over their proposal being sidelined.