Alba MPs thrown out of Commons after protesting at start of PMQs
Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey say "Scotland's voice will be heard" amid calls for a second independence referendum
Last updated 13th Jul 2022
Two Scottish MPs were thrown out of the House of Commons after launching a protest, setting off a fiery exchange with the Speaker at the start of Prime Minister's Questions.
The Alba party’s Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey were ordered to leave the chamber by Sir Lindsay Hoyle in furious scenes at the beginning of the session.
Mr MacAskill could be heard trying to raise a point of order and appeared to say "we need a referendum", before he was drowned out by other MPs.
He then refused to sit down and continued to speak, prompting Sir Lindsay to act.
The Speaker said: "I will not tolerate such behaviour. If you want to go out, go out now.
"If you stand again, I will order you out. Make your mind up."
Mr MacAskill rose to his feet again before Mr Hanvey also stood up and started speaking, but he could not be heard over the heckling from Tory MPs.
Sir Lindsay then named the pair, meaning they are suspended from the House.
He said: "Neale Hanvey, I'm now naming you and Kenny MacAskill to leave this chamber. Serjeant, deal with them.
"Out now, Serjeant-at-arms escort them out."
"The gloves have to come off in Scotland"
Speaking to Northsound 1 News after he was ejected from the House East Lothian MP Mr MacAskill said: “I’m not abiding by Westminster rules when they’re there to stitch up Scotland and ensure that our people, in a land that’s energy rich, face fuel poverty.
“The gloves have to come off in Scotland.
"Scotland's got to have a campaign to be able to determine its own future, not be dictated to by whoever the Tory party decides is the next Prime Minister."