Image: House of Lords
In a strange move, the prime minister visited the House of Lords today, to listen to the first speeches of the Article 50 debate.
Theresa May quickly attracted the attention of peers and journalists as she sat on the steps of the throne, with a small group of other MPs. While she is entitled to do so, it’s extremely unusual for the prime minister to attend the upper house for a debate on government legislation.
Indeed, former speaker of the House of Lords, Janet Royall said she has ‘never known the PM to be present’ and the House of Lords Twitter account confirmed that it was a first.
Theresa May on the steps of the throne to listen to the beginning of the Article 50 debate. Amazing. Never known the PM to be present
— Janet Royall (@LabourRoyall) February 20, 2017
A 1st for the #HouseofLords: Prime Minister Theresa May watches start of #BrexitBill debate https://t.co/SWOR9P0X3U @Number10gov pic.twitter.com/TctXBBLhfn
— House of Lords (@UKHouseofLords) February 20, 2017
According to the Telegraph’s Christopher Hope ‘the MPs will be hoping that they can be a visible reminder to the unelected peers of the will of the people after the country voted to leave the EU.’ To us, that sounds like a pretty pathetic attempt at intimidation.
Doesn’t the Prime Minister have a country to run?
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