‘Treat MPs with respect!’: Speaker Lindsay Hoyle reprimands Labour over budget conduct

The speaker of the House of Commons has reprimanded the government over the manner in which it is announcing measures ahead of the budget.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle told MPs on Monday that the “premature disclosure” of the contents of the budget is a “supreme discourtesy”. Last week, chancellor Rachel Reeves stated her intention to alter the government’s fiscal rules at the budget in a series of media interviews.

A furious Sir Lindsay said: “The premature disclosure of the contents of the budget have always been regarded as supreme discourtesy to the House.

“Indeed, I still regard it as such. I am very, very disappointed that the Chancellor expects the House to wait nearly a full week to repeat these announcements in the budget statement on Wednesday.”

The speaker added: “It’s not acceptable. I don’t want it to continue and I want you to treat this House with the respect it deserves.

“Whether it’s this side or that side, it is totally unacceptable to go around the world telling everybody rather than these members.”

Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political website. Subscribe to our daily newsletter for all the latest news and analysis.