Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has attacked Sunak for announcing his Net Zero changes at the podium and not at the despatch box. “This is a major policy shift”, he complained, noting that the Commons business ended early yesterday “so there was plenty of time for this statement to be made.” Guido imagines how that would have looked…

Hoyle points out that “the unelected House of Lords will have the opportunity to scrutinise this change in direction this afternoon, when it hears the government’s response to a private notice question on this issue.” Hoyle can be relied on to lead a valiant Commons crusade…

Read the full statement below:

“If he had the power, the Speaker would recall the House immediately — and he is writing to the Prime Minister today, to express that view in the strongest of terms.
This is a major policy shift, and it should have been announced when the House was sitting. Members with very different views on this issue have expressed their disquiet on the way this has been handled. especially as the Commons rose early last night, so there was plenty of time for this statement to be made.
Instead, the unelected House of Lords will have the opportunity to scrutinise this change in direction this afternoon, when it hears the Government’s response to a private notice question on this issue.
This is not the way to do business. Ministers are answerable to MPs — we do not have a presidential system here.
The House of Commons is where laws are made. national debates are had — and where statements should be made.”