THE House of Commons Speaker has doubled down on his warning to Tory ministers that they should quit if they can’t follow parliamentary rules.
Lindsay Hoyle rebuked UK Government Cabinet members for leaking details of Budget plans to the press before they are presented to MPs in Parliament.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to announce his spending proposals in the chamber on Wednesday, but parts of the plan have already been revealed to print and television media.
In a second warning in two days, the Commons Speaker highlighted that the ministerial code states important announcements of Government policy should be made to Parliament first when it is in session.
Holye, who has granted two urgent questions to force ministers to answer questions on the Budget, told MPs: "I was disappointed to see more stories in the media today with apparently very well-briefed information about what will be in tomorrow's Budget."
He continued: “If the Government continues to treat this House in the discourteous manner I will do everything in my power to make sure ministers are called here at the earliest opportunity to explain themselves.
"This House will not be taken for granted, it's not right for everybody to briefed, it's not more important to go on the news in the morning, it's more important to come here.
“Let’s get this message across: These are the elected members that represents this United Kingdom. It is not done through Sky TV.”
READ MORE: George Kerevan: Why this week’s Budget will be a smokescreen for Tories’ real plans
It comes after the Speaker said on Monday: "At one time ministers did the right thing if they briefed before a budget - they walked.”
Chief secretary to the Treasury, Simon Clarke, defended Tory ministers’ conduct.
He claimed part of the Government’s objective in "trailing specific aspects of the Budget in advance is to help communicate to the public what we're doing with their hard-earned money”.
Answering Labour's urgent question in the Commons on the Budget, he commented: "The ability of Parliament to scrutinise the Government, including the Budget, is clearly crucial which is why we've got five days of parliamentary debate ahead of us this week and next and why the the Chancellor will be appearing in addition in front of two select committees of this House next week."
Clarke summarised "some of the headline announcements we've made on the Budget already", adding: "With the caveat that the bulk of the detail of the Budget of course will be delivered by the Chancellor himself at this despatch box tomorrow.
"Importantly that includes all market-sensitive information. Part of the Government's objective in trailing specific aspects of the Budget in advance is to help communicate to the public what we're doing with their hard-earned money because we believe there is merit in clear and accurate information."
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