In a humorous turn of events, a Conservative member made a blunder by trying to request an additional question during PMQs, causing amusement among fellow MPs. James Cartlidge, standing in for Kemi Badenoch, found himself in an awkward situation when he attempted to catch Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s attention after exhausting his allotted six questions. This led to Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy playfully mocking Cartlidge’s counting skills.
During the session, there was a moment of chaos when the Speaker had to intervene while Labour’s Jonathan Brash was speaking. Eventually, Sir Lindsay clarified that Cartlidge had indeed asked his allocated six questions correctly.
The incident occurred during a heated exchange where David Lammy, filling in for Keir Starmer, urged Cartlidge to “get a grip” after repeated inquiries about mistaken releases of asylum seekers. The discussion centered on the accidental release of Ethiopian offender Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford, prompting a brief manhunt before his recapture and deportation.
Cartlidge persistently pressed Lammy on ensuring there were no further inadvertent releases of asylum-seeking offenders since Kebatu’s incident. In response, Lammy highlighted his role as Justice Secretary and acknowledged past challenges in the justice system, emphasizing the need to address existing issues.
Following a call for an apology, Lammy expressed regret for any distress caused by the situation but also pointed out the need to rectify past shortcomings in the justice system. The exchange highlighted ongoing concerns about the management of prisons and the responsibility of officials to address systemic issues.
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