Tory Outrage After SNP's Ian Blackford Brands Theresa May A 'Liar'

The party's Westminster leader was forced to apologise and withdraw comment.
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Ian Blackford, the leader of the SNP in Westminster, was forced to apologise on Tuesday after he called Theresa May a “liar”.

Dozens of Tory MPs erupted in shouts after Blackford made the accusation as the prime minister urged parliament to hold its “nerve” over Brexit talks.

Blackford shouted “that’s not true” at the PM across the Commons after the PM insisted the government had published an economic analysis of its Brexit plan.

He then accused her of being a “liar”. MPs are not allowed to accuse each other of lying in the Commons.

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John Bercow, the speaker of the Commons, ordered Blackford to withdraw the comment.

Blackford risked further anger from Tory MPs after he said he would withdraw the remark “in courtesy” to Bercow rather than by way of apology to May.

The senior SNP MP had earlier accused the PM of living in “a parallel universe” over Brexit.

“We’ve just heard from the prime minister that she wanted this concluded in December. Talk about rewriting history,” he said.

“It was the prime minister that denied us the right to have the meaningful vote and to try and rewrite history, and she sits there laughing, sometimes you should be honest with yourself, never mind being honest with the people of the United Kingdom.”

May had initially planned to ask MPs to vote on her Brexit deal in December, but delayed it until January.

The government hinted today the vote on a revised deal may not be held until as late as after March 21. The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29.

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