Cha cha cha-ing as the Middle East burns… but at least they’re getting a pay rise! Fury as MPs DANCE in Parliament while Iran crisis leaves Britain on ‘brink of World War Three’
Amid the deepening crisis in the Middle East, a group of MPs were seen dancing in the Parliament today, sparking anger.
Strictly Come Dancing stars Angela Rippon and Alex Kingston staged a ‘cha-cha-cha’ for more than 40 MPs at Portcullis House in Westminster.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, danced with Rippon at an event to promote the benefits of dance for the health and wellbeing of the nation.
However, some parliamentarians criticized the timing of the event, following US and Israeli attacks on Iran that plunged the Middle East into chaos.
Iran continues to attack with retaliatory missile and drone strikes across the region, sparking fears of a wider conflict.
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson told the Daily Mail: ‘I walked into Portcullis House this morning and thought I had walked straight into Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ video.
‘With the world on the brink of World War Three, these dancing MPs made it quite clear that the insane had taken over the asylum.
“We are expecting at least a 5 per cent pay rise,” Mr Anderson added, referring to the inflation-busting pay rise MPs will receive in April.
Strictly Come Dancing stars Angela Rippon and Alex Kingston staged a ‘cha-cha-cha’ for more than 40 MPs at Portcullis House in Westminster
Join the discussion
Should MPs dance when the world is facing such serious crises?
After Mr Anderson branded MPs ‘morons’, Labour’s Jonathan Brash said: ‘We will always be miserable under reform, calling each other names as often as possible and rejecting joy on principle.’
Zarah Sultana, your party’s MP, said: ‘It is completely inappropriate for MPs to Strictly Dance to Parliament when the world is on the brink of World War Three.
‘It says everything you need to know about Westminster.’
Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry said: ‘This is the kind of move that really got on my nerves when I was an MP.
‘War in the Middle East, innocent civilians dying and thousands of British citizens trapped there and MPs think it’s a good look?
‘No wonder voters are so fed up with our politics.’
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) said this week that MPs’ basic pay will rise to £98,599 a year from next month.
He also stated that they are aiming to move to a salary of around £110,000 by the end of Parliament, which is due in 2029.
IPSA added that in assessing the increase it took into account that MPs in Westminster were facing more ‘abuse and intimidation’ and increased constituency incidents.
On Wednesday morning the group of more than 40 MPs stepped and twirled beneath the glass atrium of Portcullis House under the direction of Strictly star and choreographer Kai Widdrington.
New Green Party MP Hannah Spencer, shadow culture secretary Nigel Huddleston, Conservative MP Caroline Nokes and Labour’s Kim Leadbeater were among the MPs who practiced the footwork, along with former Strictly contestant Kingston and former judge Dame Arlene Phillips.
Before the dance lesson, Rippon said dance was ‘an invaluable tool in restoring the health of the nation and saving the NHS money’.
Dance can help improve medical conditions and deal with obesity and mental health crises, he said.
