Morecambe MP told off after heckling Jeremy Corbyn

The MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale has been ticked off in the Commons for heckling Jeremy Corbyn during Prime Minister's Questions.
David Morris.David Morris.
David Morris.

But David Morris was unapologetic afterwards, claiming he had “rattled” the Labour leader.

Mr Morris was told off by John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, during Wednesday’s weekly session of questions to Theresa May.

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The Conservative MP, who was seated in the row behind Mrs May, shouted at Mr Corbyn while he was speaking about Universal Credit.

Jeremy Corbyn at the Eric Morecambe statue during his visit to Morecambe. Picture by Alan Gregson.Jeremy Corbyn at the Eric Morecambe statue during his visit to Morecambe. Picture by Alan Gregson.
Jeremy Corbyn at the Eric Morecambe statue during his visit to Morecambe. Picture by Alan Gregson.

The Labour leader told the Commons that “foodbank usage has increased by 30 per cent” in areas where the controversial benefits scheme has been rolled out.

Then as Mr Morris yelled out in response, Mr Bercow called for order and told him: “Mr Morris. Calm yourself.

“Behave with restraint. You’re seated in a prominent position. Quiet. It will be good for your well-being.”

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Afterwards, Mr Morris said: “My well-being is absolutely 110 per cent but Jeremy Corbyn’s isn’t because he was rattled.

Jeremy Corbyn at the Eric Morecambe statue during his visit to Morecambe. Picture by Alan Gregson.Jeremy Corbyn at the Eric Morecambe statue during his visit to Morecambe. Picture by Alan Gregson.
Jeremy Corbyn at the Eric Morecambe statue during his visit to Morecambe. Picture by Alan Gregson.

“I was sitting right across from him and looking him in the eye and he was thrown off his stride.

“He bangs on about all these things. Universal Credit. We’ve had Universal Credit in Morecambe for quite some time now.

“Yesterday he was going on about tax avoidance. I’m sick to death of it.

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“Today he blamed the Government for closing Uxbridge police station but the mayor of London (Labour’s Sadiq Khan) is also the Police and Crime Commissioner.

“I was elected by the people of Morecambe and Lunesdale to uphold their values and I will hold Jeremy Corbyn to account on his lies.”

Uxbridge police station, in Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s London constituency, is due to close after a decision by Mr Khan’s office to save £400m by 2021.

But Labour politicians have pointed out that the policy of closing London police stations was introduced in 2013 when Mr Johnson was mayor of London.

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Mr Corbyn said in the Commons on Wednesday: “The real reason it’s closing is because of a £2.3bn cut from police budgets in the last Parliament and they’re going to be cut by another £700m by 2020.”

Mrs May replied: “Let’s be very clear on funding for the Metropolitan Police, there is more money and more officers for each Londoner than anywhere else in the country.”

Mr Morris and Mr Corbyn also clashed when the Labour leader visited Morecambe in August and the Tory MP told him to “sort out his own constituency first”.

On Monday in Parliament, Mr Morris said he was “keen to ensure that advance (Universal Credit) payments are made to my constituents in need, which is why I see the jobcentre and the citizens advice bureau, ​one after the other, every month”.