There was a shout of “not now, Andy” as Black Rod Ed Davis arrived at the House of Commons to summon MPs to the King’s Speech at the state opening of Parliament on Wednesday. The remark, made as Davis knocked on the chamber door, was reportedly from Labour MP Torcuil Crichton.
Per tradition, the door to the Commons is slammed in the senior Lords officer’s face before he knocks three times and enters. The heckle appeared to refer to Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor and former Labour leadership contender, who has been touted as a possible successor to Sir Keir Starmer.
Former Labour MP Dennis Skinner was well known for heckling during Black Rod’s arrival. Three backbench MPs told the Press Association that the heckle was made by Crichton, the MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar.
