Government accused of "petty" decision not to delay Parliament for Betty Boothroyd memorial

The Government has ignored calls to delay the parliamentary timetable for one hour today in order for wellwishers to attend the memorial service of the Yorkshire-born former House of Commons speaker, the Independent reported.

Baroness Boothryod died in February at the age of 93, and politicians from all parties have been scheduled to attend a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey this morning.

Today will see MPs vote on a series of the amendments for the Rwanda bill, with the Government refusing multiple requests to delay the start of business in the Commons so that MPs can attend the service.

Charlotte Nichols, a former Labour shadow minister, said the decision was “disrespectful to parliament as an institution”.

“She was not just hugely significant for Labour members, she was the first and only female speaker, and it is disrespectful to parliament as an institution, given the importance of the role she held, to not allow everyone to pay tribute in the way they would wish to without potentially missing parliamentary business,” she said.

One parliamentary source said that the PM was “petty” if he did not overrule the decision, with Dame Diana Johnson saying that the decision was a mistake.

A government source told the Independent: “The PM paid tribute to Betty Boothroyd at her funeral last year as one of our greatest speakers and the House was able to pay their respects to her at the time.”