– in the House of Commons at 4:47 pm on 28 April 2025.
Mark Francois
Shadow Minister (Defence)
4:47,
28 April 2025
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I wish to raise a point of order, about which I have given Mr Speaker prior notice.
All of us in this House know that Mr Speaker has a deep personal commitment to the safety of Members of Parliament and their families. In that context, a video has emerged this weekend of a concert held in London some months ago, at which an Irish republican band, called Kneecap, told a cheering audience that,
“The only good Tory is a dead Tory”.
The band then implored the audience to,
“Kill your local MP”.
I am not a lawyer, but to my mind that is incitement to murder. Quite rightly, counter-terrorism police are now investigating. This is beyond despicable and the issue affects all parties. I say that as I look across the Chamber at the plaque for our fallen comrade, Sir David Amess, and at the one behind me for our fallen comrade, Jo Cox. They both died serving their constituents.
Through you, Madam Deputy Speaker, may I ask Mr Speaker three things? First, will the Home Secretary come to this House by no later than tomorrow and make a full statement on what the Government understand has happened here and exactly what they intend to do about it to protect all those in public life, not just MPs and their families? Secondly, will the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who I see is in her place—I did notify her of my point of order—give a public explanation, ideally via a statement, of how it came to pass that this band were given some £14,000 of British taxpayers’ money in a grant?
Lisa Nandy
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
That was your Government!
Mark Francois
Shadow Minister (Defence)
We do not normally heckle points of order, but, if the right hon. Lady is going to do that, I will say that our party’s leader, my right hon. Friend Mrs Badenoch, refused the grant. The band appealed, and this Government did not oppose the appeal. Those are the facts. Will the right hon. Lady please explain to us exactly how that happened and how we can get the money back? I did not want to make this issue partisan, but she interrupted me.
Thirdly, I understand that Kneecap are still booked to appear at Glastonbury, which, under the circumstances, would be unconscionable. As Mr Speaker is chairing a Speaker’s Conference on MPs’ safety, can we implore him through you, Madam Deputy Speaker, to write to the organisers of Glastonbury festival and say that this House does not think it is appropriate that Kneecap should be allowed to appear, at least until the investigation is completed? I ask this on behalf of all MPs and all our families. I hope that that is not unreasonable.
Judith Cummins
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee, Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee
I am grateful to the right hon. Member for giving notice of some aspects of his point of order. As he knows, we do not discuss security matters on the Floor of the House, but I understand that the police are investigating the incidents. I have had no indication that Ministers intend to come to the House to make a statement, but the right hon. Gentleman has put his points on the record.
Alan Gemmell
Labour, Central Ayrshire
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. May I seek your advice on how to put on the record my concerns and those of my constituents about worrying allegations in the weekend press about the awarding of contracts by Martin Dowey, the Conservative leader of South Ayrshire council?
Judith Cummins
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee, Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee
That is not a matter for the Chair, but the hon. Member has put his point on the record.
Gregory Stafford
Opposition Assistant Whip (Commons)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. There are significant concerns in Whitehill and Bordon in my Constituency about changes to healthcare provision and meeting the needs of the rapidly growing local population. I wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on
Judith Cummins
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee, Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee
I am grateful to the hon. Member for his point of order and for giving notice of it. Ministerial correspondence is not a matter for the Chair, but all hon. Members should be entitled to expect a timely reply when they write to any member of the Government. I am sure that those on the Treasury Bench will have noted the hon. Member’s comments.
Jacob Collier
Labour, Burton and Uttoxeter
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. At business questions last week, I asked a question related to JCB’s hydrogen diggers. Given that JCB was a sponsor of my Constituency jobs fair, I should have referred the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests before asking that question. I seek your guidance, Madam Deputy Speaker, on how I can correct the record.
Judith Cummins
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee, Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee
I thank the hon. Member for his point of order, for notice of it and for putting his point on the record.
Jim Shannon
DUP, Strangford
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Further to the point of order made by Mr Francois, we in Northern Ireland are particularly concerned about the threats against Conservative MPs, and indeed against any MP in this House. We are also concerned about the funding of this particular group, Kneecap—whether they get funding from here, back home from some councils, or whatever—and about their ability to travel right across the world, such as to the United States of America. Will the relevant Minister make a statement on all those issues that concern the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford, and that concern me, Jim Allister and all of us who represent Unionism in Northern Ireland?
Judith Cummins
Deputy Speaker (First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means), Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee, Chair, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board Committee
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his point, although it is not a point of order. He has put his comments on the record, and he may want to make a further point to the Table Office.
Of a female MP, sitting on her regular seat in the House. For males, "in his place".
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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They were opposed by Tories, from the Irish word toraidhe (literally, "pursuer," but commonly applied to highwaymen and cow thieves). It was used — obviously derisively — to refer to those who supported the Crown.
By the mid 1700s, the words Tory and Whig were commonly used to describe two political groupings. Tories supported the Church of England, the Crown, and the country gentry, while Whigs supported the rights of religious dissent and the rising industrial bourgeoisie. In the 19th century, Whigs became Liberals; Tories became Conservatives.
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