Sir Lindsay Hoyle has announced plans to fly the flag of Palestine over Parliament next week to coincide with a visit by the territory’s ambassador.
An announcement this afternoon confirmed the Commons Speaker will meet with Husam Said Zomlot next week after Prime Minister’s Questions.
The confirmation also set out that, while the Union Flag and Commons flag are flown from the Speaker’s flag poles in New Palace Yard, this will be replaced by the Palestine flag during the visit.
The respected think tank Policy Exchange revealed the plans, describing them as “extremely odd” and asking: “Should the Speaker be committing the entire House of Commons to such a controversial position on the current conflict?”
Iain Mansfield, Policy Exchange’s Director of Research added: “This is baffling behaviour by the Speaker.
“The UK does not recognise the state of Palestine.
“Should the Speaker be committing the entire House of Commons to such a controversial position on the current conflict? Is Speaker-led diplomacy really appropriate in this case? It is hardly impartial.
“Mr Speaker has serious questions to answer – not least from the many Parliamentarians who may not share his views.”
However the Muslim Association of Britain hit back, accusing Policy Exchange of being “perfectly OK when the Israeli flag was projected onto government buildings” following Hamas’s massacre on October 7.
A Conservative Party official in the Westminster constituency also voiced concerns, saying it “Seems very odd and not representative of the full range of views or national policy.”
The House of Commons has been approached for comment.
