QUENTIN LETTS: Left-wingers regard Reform MPs as bacteria – and went tonto when Mr Farage got up to speak
You can watch organisms fight against pathogens under a science laboratory microscope. Threatened bodies squeeze, withdraw, and squirt various acids, hoping to destroy invading cells before they grow any larger.
The same thing happens in the House of Commons when Reform MPs are given the chance to speak. Leftists see Reform and its small league of MPs as bacteria. They scold them, belittle them, and in some cases even hiss. Biologists call this kind of thing antimicrobial resistance. Political analysts call this fear of losing their seat.
Nigel Farage had one of his scheduled questions at PMQs. Hansard, the official record of Parliament, will say that Mr Gent, on behalf of Clacton, asked about two-tier policing, but Sir Keir Starmer denied the notion. Hansard will also note that Sir Keir expressed surprise at Mr Farage’s response to the murder of Henry Nowak.
Hansard is a good publication, but its word-for-word report does not accurately convey what is happening. Let me try.
Nowak’s murder had already been discussed at length when Noah Law (Lab, St Austell) stood up to ask the question on the order sheet just before Mr Farage’s seat. The government whips like to incapacitate Sir Keir with one easy blow before the Farage bacillus is called. Are you whipping slyly or playing politics? Make your choice.
Mr. Noah obediently returned to the Nowak tragedy. Ser Keir gratefully took this chance to dwell once more on the death of the Nowak family. The Prime Minister is rarely very good at House of Commons theatrics, but this time he managed to create a heavy, dramatic silence by twice quoting the Nowak family’s demand that politicians resist creating ‘further division, hatred or tension’.
Speaker Hoyle: ‘Nigel Farage!’
With the rise of Nigel Farage, the House of Commons organism has gone into frenzied resistance mode, writes Quentin Letts
Sir Keir reacts to Mr Farage with another unusually deft deployment of pause
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As the reform leader stood up, the Commons organism went into a frenzied mode of resistance. The workers in the back row pointed and shouted at him. ‘Shame on you! Shame! You are a shame! Shameful!’ This escalated further when Mr Farage began saying that ‘it is now clear to millions of us that we live under two tiers of police rule’. Leftists shook their heads, groaned and shouted ‘nonsense!’ they said.
Conservatives disagreed with rhubarb. They turned in the direction of the reform union. These Conservatives continued to watch with interest while the rest of the establishment toned down.
Three Liberal Democrats sat behind Mr Farage; one of them was a portly agent from Sutton named Taylor. Aware that Mr Farage was on camera, Mr Taylor sounded wildly skeptical. His right eye kept doing strange things.
Mr Farage referred to the anti-police demonstration in Southampton the night before. There was a volley of anger from government MPs. Mr Taylor said: ‘You instigated this!’ He joined this opposition chorus by shouting. Mr Farage was now also facing criticism from pro-Palestinian independents sitting behind him. ‘Curse the violence!’ various people shouted. Jonathan Brash (Lab, Hartlepool) was cackling like a pheasant. Emily Darlington (Lab, Milton Keynes C) was laying eggs. Paul Foster (Lab, S Ribble) is seething with little man anger.
Speaker Hoyle allowed this to continue. Should he have done more to protect Mr Farage, especially from the crooks behind him? Maybe. But Sir Lindsay Hoyle is only human and has probably heard rumors that Reform are considering running a candidate against him in the seat of Chorley at the next General Election. This would not be the first time Mr Farage has broken the convention that Speakers have stood unchallenged.
Sir Keir reacted to Mr Farage with another unusually deft deployment of pauses. He used the second repetition to emphasize his disbelief. Reform leader ‘anger – anger!’ called, making the Prime Minister hold his breath. ‘This shows exactly who he is.’ With that last word he wagged his finger at her. Mr Farage put his thumb to his teeth and pretended to be amused. The Reformed men on either side of him sat in rigid anger.
Some require anger. Another group in the Parliament responds to this with its own show of anger. And they accuse each other of playing politics.
