David Cameron should be forced to take regular questions from MPs in Westminster Hall, Labour has said.
Shadow Commons leader Lucy Powell said the new Foreign Secretary, who cannot enter the Commons because he is not an MP, should hold regular “accountability sessions” there as a “starter”.
Westminster Hall is the oldest building on the parliamentary estate, and Labour’s reference to it refers to an alternative debating chamber there which is primarily used by backbench MPs to raise topics for debate.
Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt said MPs “must” be able to hold Lord Cameron to account, and appeared to offer an assurance this could be done, but did not offer details on how it would happen.
At a time of war in Europe, a horrifying conflict in Israel and Gaza, and threats from China, Iran and elsewhere, elected members here are now unable to hold the Foreign Secretary to account— Lucy Powell, shadow Commons leader
Lord Cameron cannot sit in the House of Commons because he is not an elected MP.
Following his appointment, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told MPs he had commissioned advice about the possible options for enhancing scrutiny given the situation.
Ms Powell said: “At a time of war in Europe, a horrifying conflict in Israel and Gaza, and threats from China, Iran and elsewhere, elected members here are now unable to hold the Foreign Secretary to account.
She added: “This House must be able to scrutinise his work effectively because, let’s be honest, there’s a lot to hold him to account for.”
She said it would be “entirely insufficient” for another Foreign Office minister to stand in for Mr Cameron, adding: “The last time the House was in this situation, Conservative members were furious and demanded that questions must be answered in this place.
“The then Labour government was set to bring in the recommendations of the Procedure Committee at the time.
“So does she agree with me that we should immediately dust off that report, and bring forward a motion to put in place its recommendations quickly?
“This would include regular accountability sessions for the Foreign Secretary in Westminster Hall as a starter.”
On the Government’s plan to use emergency legislation to revive plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, Ms Powell questioned why ministers did not do so months ago “instead of sitting around waiting” for the Supreme Court’s judgment.
She said: “These are desperation tactics to try and make them look like they are doing something, when the truth is this is a failed, unworkable and costly plan that leaves their pledge to stop the boats stranded.”
Responding, Ms Mordaunt said: “She is right that this House must be able to hold (Lord Cameron) to account. This is not an unusual situation, it has happened before with my noble Lords Mandelson, Adonis, Frost, Morgan and I think others.”
She added: “My understanding is that the Procedure Committee is going to be consulted on the best way forward. And she alludes to some of the options in her remarks that may be required of the Foreign Secretary.
“But I know that he will want to be accountable to this House.”
She said she understood MPs will want to be able to question the Foreign Secretary and said “she has my assurance in that respect”.
On the Rwanda plan, she said: “We want to do this swiftly.
“It is part of a plan of action that (Prime Minister Rishi Sunak) has set out, and that has been worked on by the Home Office and other departments together with the largest ever small boats deal with France, a new agreement with Albania that has already… cut Albanian small boat arrivals by more than 90%.”
Ms Mordaunt conceded there is “more to do” but said the Government is a “step closer to the deterrent we seek”.
She later attempted to mock SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn for not singing God Save The King at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London.
The Commons Leader stood in silence for a few seconds at the despatch box when rising to respond to her SNP counterpart Deidre Brock.
She said: “I am sure that you, Mr Speaker, would take a dim view if I refused to answer (Ms Brock’s) question, if I just stood here in silence because I didn’t fancy doing it or I objected strongly to the content and tone of it.
“He might ask, had I done that, why I would have shown up this morning if I was not prepared to do my duty in this House, if I were not prepared to show respect to this House.
“It would be a bit like attending at the Cenotaph and not singing the national anthem.”
Writing after last Sunday’s ceremony, Mr Flynn said: “A humbling experience to be present at the Cenotaph today for Remembrance Sunday, and to lay a wreath on behalf of the SNP and Plaid Cymru. As ever, I was thinking of my late grandad and the sacrifices his generation made during WW2 to protect our freedoms. Lest we forget.”
