Bracknell’s member of parliament was told to leave the chamber of the House of Commons today after a feisty Prime Minister’s Questions sparked by Donald Trump’s war in Iran.
The row followed an interview on BBC Breakfast in which Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the RAF as "just hanging around" rather than taking the necessary action in the Middle East.
Peter Swallow MP was asked to leave after calling out for Ms Badenoch to apologise while a question was being answered. He left the chamber as asked and immediately after PMQs he apologised to the Mr Speaker for the noise.
According to Mr Swallow, RAF pilots have now completed more than 230 flying hours on defensive operations across the region since the start of the conflict, protecting British people, bases and allies.
The Speaker, Lindsey Hoyle MP said: “Mr Swallow, you’re going out! I’ve had enough: week-in, week-out. “Either leave now or I’ll name you.”
Kemi Badenoch said: “Mr Speaker I have never criticised our armed forces. I am criticising him [The Prime Minister] and his decisions.”
Peter Swallow MP said: “As the MP for Sandhurst I will not sit back when politicians dismiss our Armed Forces or use them as a political football. “Kemi Badenoch did both by rubbishing the work of the Royal Airforce as ‘just hanging around’. “All of our Armed Forces work tirelessly around the clock to keep Britain safe. “In PMQs I was calling for her to apologise for that remark. Something she has not done. “I accept that my former teacher’s voice can carry in the chamber and so I apologised to Mr Speaker for that. “But I remain shocked that the Conservative leader does not have the grace to apologise for her thoughtless and dismissive remarks about our Forces.”
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
