A Sussex MP has been praised for controlling the House of Commons amid the delivery of the autumn Budget.
Nusrat Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald and deputy speaker, kept members of Parliament in check during Rachel Reeves’ delivery of the budget on Wednesday, November 26.
Ms Ghani is also the Chairman of Ways and Means, who presides over the budget statement and the debate.
The chamber was filled with cheers, jeers and protestations, which Ms Ghani impressively controlled by asking politicians to “calm down” and “take a breath”.
The deputy speaker also called out MPs by name, such as Conservative MP for Hinckley and Bosworth Luke Evans.
People have taken to social media to praise Ms Ghani’s admirable and no-nonsense control of the House.
Journalist Sophie Wilkinson wrote on X: “Nusrat Ghani truly serving looks and a telling off.”
The MP responded: “Having five brothers (and a super little sister) gave me the best training for managing the House of Commons.”
The Metro dubbed Ms Ghani as a “new political star” due to her “fierce interventions” and “quick-witted quips”.
After the budget, she said: “My second budget as Chairman of Ways and Means and so proud to represent Sussex Weald in the Chair.
“More to come next week with votes on the Budget Motions.”
Ms Ghani also rebuked Treasury ministers for pre-budget briefings, which she said appeared to “have reached an unprecedented high”.
She told the Commons: “For a number of weeks, and yet again yesterday, there have been extensive briefings to the media on the government’s fiscal policy and public finances.
“This disappointing trend in relation to budget briefings has been growing for a number of years under successive governments, but appears to have reached an unprecedented high.
“Weeks ago, we saw the Chancellor (Rachel Reeves) delivering a speech in Downing Street, setting a scene for the budget, as well as specific policy announcements being briefed out to the media in advance of today’s financial statements.
“And just a moment ago, it seems the OBR analysis has also appeared online. This all falls short of standards that the House expects. The premature disclosure of the contents of the Budget has always been regarded as a supreme discourtesy to this House and to all the democratically elected members, not to mention to Mr Speaker (Sir Lindsay Hoyle) and to myself, the Chairman of Ways and Means.”
Ms Ghani later said: “I want honourable members on all sides of the House to have adequate opportunity to hold the Chancellor to account, rather than to hear and read about new policies on a daily basis in the media. And like many, I also expected better.”
The original article is available here.
