Lloyd Russell Moyle MP left the House of Commons in disarray yesterday by parading the ceremonial mace in protest of the Conservative’s management of Brexit leading to his ejection from the meeting.
The Kemptown MP’s act was shortly after the Tories announced the delay of the vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal.
As a symbol of royal authority, the mace is mandatory to meet and pass laws in parliament and must not be moved over the white line during proceedings.
Mr Russell-Moyle took to Twitter to shed humour onto the events in the House of Commons yesterday, damning May’s postponement of the vote:
https://twitter.com/lloyd_rm/status/1072244325067694085
The video shows the Kemptown MP walking over and grabbing the mace before standing in the middle of the room, raising the five-foot silver gilt in the air.
His decision to remove the mace from the table of the House was met with abuse from Tory MPs calling for his withdrawal, and the Speaker, John Bercow, asking for it to be returned.
A parliamentary official quickly returned the mace to its usual position shortly after its removal andMr Russell-Moyle was asked to leave.
Mr Speaker said: “I am grateful to a dedicated servant of the House for bringing forward the mace and restoring it to its place.
“I must order the honourable gentlemen to withdraw immediately from the House for the remainder of this day’s sitting.”
Historically, the mace has also been picked up by Labour’s now shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, in 2009, in protest against the decision for a third runway at Heathrow.
Mr Russell-Moyle has recently been in the limelight by becoming the first MP to reveal he is HIV positive inside parliamentary walls.
