Senior Labour figures tell me @CommonsSpeaker was left in no doubt that Labour would bring him down after the general election unless he called Labour’s Gaza amendment
The message was: you will need our votes to be re-elected as speaker after election with strong indications this would not be forthcoming if he failed to call the Labour amendment
The Speaker’s office have been in touch to say: “This is not true.” For clarity: senior Lab sources briefed me on the messages: you will need our support after the election and this may not be forthcoming. The speaker met multiple MPs this week because he has an open door policy
@nicholaswatt Deputy speaker just announced in the House of Commons it isn’t true so who is lying?
@nicholaswatt That's just a subtler way of saying it
@nicholaswatt Sue Gray is on route to requisition your phone now Nicholas.
@nicholaswatt Labour have admitted that Starmer and his chief whip had a meeting in the morning with the speaker.Publish the records then we all know what was said that in meeting
@nicholaswatt Source your claim like the Speaker's Office has rather than hide behind some nonsense about "sources" and we'd give you credibility. Everything that's wrong with the chums together game played for 'access' here. Being a stenographer for pals isn't journalism.
@nicholaswatt Good journalism mate.. Great to see.. Stand your ground don't bow down to the crestfallen mob now.
@nicholaswatt If The Speaker is not aware that a Labour government will bring him down if he doesn’t work well with them, he’s not politically astute enough to be The Speaker.
@nicholaswatt I hope you are embarrassed for spreading nonsense.
@nicholaswatt Nick, you've committed the cardinal sin of becoming the story 😬