Tory Chaos Turned UK Into Laughing Stock, Says Hoyle

The "bizarre" turmoil that saw three Tory prime ministers in a matter of months made British democracy an international laughing stock, the Commons speaker has said.

- Adam Forrest

Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the country is still "struggling to recover" from the damage done by the collapse of two governments in 2022. The Commons speaker told BBC Radio 4's PM programme that the "revolving door" of changing ministers made him feel like the only point of "continuity" in parliament.

Asked if the upheaval had made the UK a laughing stock, Sir Lindsay said: "It did," before adding that it left people wondering "what was happening to our democracy". The Commons speaker added: "I think we're still struggling to recover."

Referring to Liz Truss's arrival at No 10 in September, Sir Lindsay said: "A new prime minister comes in with what was meant to be new hope, a new vision, all fell apart... When it went wrong, it certainly went wrong." He added; "It was like a revolving door of ministers, you know. Some have accepted a job and then they resigned. I've never seen anything like it - it was bizarre. We never knew who was going to be at the dispatch box."