Peterborough MP Paul Bristow says he will apologise to the House of Commons Speaker after being told to leave the Commons yesterday but claims he was only “sticking up for my constituents”.
He told the Daily Express: “Prime Minister’s Questions was a little bit embarrassing. I got a bit over-excited.
“I am the first MP in some time to have been asked to leave the House of Commons Chamber by the Speaker.
“I like Mr Speaker very much and I would never want to embarrass him. But I am an MP. And my job first and foremost is to represent my constituents.”
Mr Bristow faced the humiliation of being asked to leave the House of Commons – seemingly for being too rowdy during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was forced to sit down while the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, interrupted to ask the Peterborough MP to leave the chamber.
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It came after Sir Keir had challenged prime minister Rishi Sunak on immigration figures.
The speaker fell short of ‘naming’ Mr Bristow, a Parliamentary convention that would have allowed him to suspend Mr Bristow.
Mr Bristow said that when Sir Keir said “I will tell you what uncontrolled immigration looks like, I yelled ‘Vote Labour.
“I am absolutely terrified of what Labour’s open border policy would do to my country and my city.
“There is no doubt immigration has hugely benefited Peterborough.”
He said the county needed managed and controlled immigration.
“The PM is absolutely right to make stopping the boats one of his 5 promises,” he told the Express.
“It was never my intention to get told I had to leave the chamber.
“I will apologise in person to Mr Speaker. That is polite.
“But I won’t apologise for voicing the concerns of my constituents.”
