PMQs descends into chaos after two MPs kicked out - 'Shut up or get out'

Kate Buck

Watch: Sir Lindsay Hoyle orders MPs to be kicked out of House of Commons during chaos at PMQs

Prime Minister's Questions descended into chaos as two raucous MPs were unceremoniously kicked out of the House of Commons.

MPs packed the chamber for the first PMQs since Boris Johnson announced he would be resigning as prime minister.

The opening moments quickly turned into a farce as Alba MPs jeered and barracked the prime minister over his veto of a Scottish independence referendum.

Struggling to shout over the noise of the chamber, speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told them to "shut up or get out" before ordering Neale Hanvey and Kenny MacAskill to be removed after they refused to back down.

Read more: Tory leadership election: Who's still in the race and when is the vote?

Sir Lindsay Hoyle removed two MPs from the House of Commons during PMQs (Parliament)
Sir Lindsay Hoyle removed two MPs from the House of Commons during PMQs (Parliament)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London. Picture date: Wednesday July 13, 2022.
Wednesday marked what could have been Boris Johnson's final PMQs. (PA) (PA)

MacAskill could be heard trying to raise a point of order and appeared to say “we need a referendum” before he was drowned out by other MPs.

He refused to sit down and continued to speak, prompting Hoyle to act.

Hanvey then rose to his feet and, though he could not be heard over the heckling from Tory MPs, was subsequently told to leave the chamber.

Hoyle subsequently shouted: "Neale Hanvey, I am now naming you, and Kenny MacAskill, to leave this chamber… Out, now! Serjeant-at-arms, escort them out!"

The pair were later suspended from the House over their conduct.

Kenny MacAskill, former Scottish justice secretary, discusses Lockerbie at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Kenny MacAskill, former Scottish justice secretary, was suspended from the House over his conduct. (PA) (PA)
Screen grab of independent MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, Neale Hanvey, during second reading of the Coronavirus Bill in the House of Commons.
Alba's Neale Hanvey, was kicked out of the Commons by Sir Lindsay Hoyle. (PA) (PA)

Johnson struck a defiant tone during what should be his penultimate PMQs, saying: "It is true I leave not at a time of my choosing, but I am proud of the teamwork involved in all of those projects... and I'm also proud of the leadership I have given."

"I will be leaving with my head held high", he added.

However, he hinted that the leadership race may not go the distance and his successor could be chosen “by acclamation” rather than requiring the planned run-off vote.

The first round of voting in the leadership contest was taking place on Wednesday afternoon.

Subsequent rounds of voting by MPs will whittle the field of contenders down to a final two, with the membership of the Tory party then deciding on the eventual winner who is due to be named on September 5.

That could change if only one candidate is left standing before party members get a chance to have their say.

Advertisement