Labour shadow treasury minister Clive Lewis has been criticised after being caught on camera pretending to take his own life.
Mr Lewis was filmed making his fingers into the shape of a gun and placing them in his mouth.
He then pretended to shoot himself while his Labour colleague Annaliese Dodds was interrupted by a Tory MP.
The shadow treasury minister rocked back and forth and looked at his colleagues either side of him while laughing.
Mr Lewis drew significant criticism on social media for his actions.
Politics graduate Cameron Bradbury tweeted: “Just Clive Lewis being inappropriate in the Chamber whilst debating the Finance Bill. Just a touch childish don’t you think.”
Paul Church, a Conservative campaigner, posted on Twitter: “6,213 people died of suicide in the UK last year. It’s no laughing matter & this behaviour is ill-befitting of any MP, never mind a frontbencher. Clive Lewis should be ashamed of himself.”
Some did however come to Mr Lewis's defence, Martin Daubney the co-founder of the Men and Boys Coalition, a network which looks to take action on issues affecting males in the UK, said Mr Lewis was just joking around.
"Come on: Clive Lewis was a bit of a twonk here, but this is clearly not "mocking suicide" - and I say that as a campaigner on this issue. Let's all stop being so silly and offended about everything," he said.
The Independent has contacted Mr Lewis for a comment.
It’s not the first time Mr Lewis has caused controversy. In 2017 he apologised after video footage emerged showing him at a Momentum event, saying: “Get on your knees b****”.
The crowd responds noisily to Mr Lewis’s comment – which was directed at a man and apparently intended as a joke – with one person present heard saying: “This is meant to be a safe space, thank you.”
The Independent has launched its #FinalSay campaign to demand that voters are given a voice on the final Brexit deal.
Sign our petition here
