London CNN Following high-profile attacks on political institutions, including the January 6 riot in Parliament at the US Capitol UK, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle feels an urgent responsibility to champion democratic freedoms.
Hoyle, who is the highest authority in US House of Commons, will host the Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other counterparts at the G7 Speakers' Summit this weekend. The in-person event takes place in his hometown of Chorley in northwest England, with a focus on secure and open parliaments. Hoyle speaks on the January 6 insurrection in the US Capitol. That was mob rule being taken over, trying to destroy democratic practices. The fact is, if we have democracy and dictatorship, we're into dictatorship. That is never the answer. Hoyle has experienced in his own parliament homegrown terror. Hoyle - then Speaker - suspended a sitting of the House of Commons on March 22, 2017 as a terror attack unfolded in Westminster. Five people died including a police officer, after the lone attacker rammed pedestrians in Westminster Bridge, mowed down his car into railings outside the Houses of Parliament and went on a stabbing rampage.
During that day, I was in the chair. Hoyle said: To be tapped on the shoulder to say there is a policeman dying on the cobbles of Parliament is something I never want to go through again, tapped one.
The tragedy of losing a rising star of this Parliament sent shockwaves to say, not just in this country but right around the world, said Hoyle: this is not just a perceived threat, said Hoyle, who was elected by his fellow MPs in November 2019. The worst brunt of that goes to male ethnic MPs as well. Hoyle said it is not okay that they feel real threats and real threats of violence against them. When an MP says to me, 'Lindsay, I don't think I'm going to stand again. My family must come first, I know we have got to be more. Hoyle also talked to CNN about the bitter mistrust in political candidates and the current rhetoric of political debates.
Asked how the issue should be handled - with opposition allegations of lying extending to Prime Minister Bois Johnson - Hoyle said he was unable to address it despite holding the most authority in the chamber.
I've not got power. They want me to be impartial. It's a political judgment that says 'that's a lie, Hoyle said. If they want a political speaker - say so - make me a political speaker.
Pelosi is very political, but I wouldn't get the same power Not saying I would refuse it. In fact, it is very tempting to be able to give me that political power as well. But what I promised was to be impartial. It’s my impartiality that I need to protect. When asked if he thinks parliamentary behaviour is improving, Hoyle said that he thinks it is getting better.
Although, there is no real disagreement among myself on what was the difference in perspective. That's what politics is all about, Hoyle said. I don't want them all to agree with each other. That would be pretty boring for me as well. It's about controlling excitement in the chamber, but it is also about controlling this excitement as well.