Labour MP Chris Bryant has been described as a “biggest charlatan” in Parliament by a Cabinet minister today, after the Labour MP criticised his own party’s political game-playing last Wednesday.
Speaking on Channel 4, The Welsh MP was asked whether he felt “grubby” last week when playing a major role in Labour’s attempts to change Commons rules, which sparked a crisis of confidence in Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Mr Bryant’s key role came just after PMQs, when he deliberately filibustered an uncontroversial 10 minute rule motion in order to allow Sir Keir Starmer and others more time to lobby Sir Lindsay Hoyle to change the rules and allow a vote on Labour’s amendment to the SNP’s Gaza motion.
Mr Bryant told Cathy Newman he is not “proud of the whole day, or for that matter my own particular role in it”.
Asked if he had been put up to the filibuster, or took it upon himself, Mr Bryant confessed it was “a bit of both if I’m honest”.
This confession has now sparked the SNP into demanding a “full, independent investigation”.
The party, whose Gaza opposition day debate was effectively hijacked by Sir Keir Starmer thanks to Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s unprecedented rule change, insist Mr Bryant’s revelation shows Labour used “dirty tricks” on Wednesday.
SNP MP Kirsty Blackman said: “Starmer’s party has been caught red-handed following the admission by Chris Bryant.
“There must now be a full, independent investigation into the appalling behaviour of Keir Starmer and his colleagues, who are no better than the Tories when it comes to manipulating the broken Westminster system.”
Mr Bryant also sparked accusations of hypocrisy after describing the whole day as “grubby” and calling for a new system “which doesn’t allow people to manipulate the rules to get what they want”.
Ms Newman quickly pointed out, “Which you did!”, prompting the top Labour MP to laugh awkwardly.
In response, Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer said his attitude was representative of “why this generation of Labour MPs are some of the biggest charlatans going”.
Mr Mercer added it proved that “believing in something is critical to honest public life”.
Fellow MP Jonathan Gullis described the Channel 4 moment as “brazen” as Mr Bryant admitted to playing Parliamentary games “to give Sir Keir Starmer more time to pressure the Speaker to change the rules to help Labour”.
He fumed: “The arrogance and hypocrisy of this man tells you all you need to know about Labour.”
Kensington and Chelsea MP Felicity Buchan added: “Labour is now being open about how they manipulated the rules last week in Parliament.”
