UK Speaker: We can’t let mob rule smash democracy

Following high-profile attacks on democratic institutions, including the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, UK Parliament Speaker Lindsay Hoyle feels an urgent responsibility to champion political freedoms.

“What happened at Capitol Hill, we are going to make sure it doesn’t happen here,” Hoyle told CNN in an exclusive sit-down TV interview.

Hoyle, who as speaker is the highest authority in the British House of Commons, is hosting US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other counterparts at the G7 Speakers’ summit this weekend. The in-person event is taking place in his hometown of Chorley in northwest England, with a focus on “secure and open parliaments.”

Addressing the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol, Hoyle said: “That was mob rule taking over, trying to smash democracy. These people don’t believe in our values, they don’t believe in democracy. You know, the fact is that if we haven’t got democracy, we have dictatorship. That is never the answer.”

Hoyle has experienced homegrown terror in his own parliament. On March 22, 2017, Hoyle – then Deputy Speaker – suspended a sitting of the House of Commons as a terror attack unfolded in Westminster. Five people died, including a police officer, after the lone attacker mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, rammed his car into railings outside the Houses of Parliament and embarked on a stabbing rampage.

“I was sat in the chair that day. To be tapped on the shoulder to say there’s a policeman dying on the cobbles of Parliament is something I never want to go through again,” Hoyle said.

A car is seen crashed into a fence outside the Parliament building in London on Wednesday, March 22. Police have launched a "full counter-terrorism investigation" after an attacker rammed a car into crowds of people and stabbed a police officer on Parliament grounds.

An armed police officer stands over the attacker, identified as Khalid Masood, outside Parliament. "It appeared that a car was coming towards the House of Commons mowing down pedestrians on the way," Member of Parliament Gerald Howarth told CNN. "The driver then got access to the parliamentary estate, stabbed a police officer and was shot."

Masood is treated by emergency services as police look on at the scene outside the Houses of Parliament. The Metropolitan Police say he was born in Kent, but is believed to have been living in the West Midlands recently. Police say Masood was also known by a number of aliases. "Masood was not the subject of any current investigations and there was no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack," Met Police said in a statement.

Member of Parliament Tobias Ellwood, in the glasses, tends to one of the injured people amid the chaos. The man the politician was trying to save was a police officer who died, a witness on the scene told CNN. Authorities identified the deceased officer as Keith Palmer, 48.

Emergency workers attend to injured people at the scene.

Medics treat a victim on Westminster Bridge.

People leave the Parliament building after the incident. Lawmakers were forced to remain in the main debating chamber of the House of Commons as police responded to the incident outside.

A person is treated at the scene.

Medical aid is provided outside Parliament.

Tourists were trapped for a time in cars on the London Eye Ferris wheel, which was stopped in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

A police officer stands guard near Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.

A person receives medical treatment at the scene.

At right, the car of British Prime Minister Theresa May is driven away from Parliament.

An air ambulance arrives at the scene.

Armed police enter the Houses of Parliament.

Deadly attack outside UK Parliament

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The Westminster attack came less than a year after British MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in her northern England constituency by a far-right extremist.

“The tragedy of losing a rising star of this Parliament sent shockwaves, not just in this country but right around the world, to say: this is not just (a) perceived threat,” said Hoyle, who was elected speaker by his fellow MPs in November 2019. “That was the real start of shock.”

The G7 Speakers’ summit will also address other modern-day security threats, including online trolling and harassment.

“Women MPs get the worst of it. The worst brunt of that goes to female ethnic MPs as well. The fact that they feel real threats and real threats of violence against them, that’s not acceptable,” said Hoyle. “When an MP says to me, ‘Lindsay, I don’t think I’m going to stand again. I don’t feel safe. My family must come first,’ I know we’ve got to do more.”

Hoyle also spoke to CNN about current mistrust toward politicians and the bitter rhetoric of political debates.

A petition calling for lying to be made a criminal offense in the House of Commons has garnered more than 130,000 signatures and may be debated by lawmakers. The government has said, however, that it “does not intend to introduce legislation of this nature” and that MPs’ conduct in the chamber “is a matter for the Speaker.”

UK Parliament Speaker Lindsay Hoyle speaks to CNN's Bianca Nobilo.

Asked how the issue should be handled – with opposition allegations of lying extending to Prime Minister Boris Johnson – Hoyle said he was unable to address it despite holding the most authority in the chamber.

“I haven’t got the power. They want me to be an impartial speaker. So, it’s a political judgment (that) says ‘that’s a lie,’” Hoyle said. “If they want a political speaker – say so – make me a political speaker.

“Speaker Pelosi is very political, but I haven’t got the same power … Not saying I would refuse it. In fact, it’s very tempting to be able to give me that political power as well. But what I promised was to be impartial. It’s my impartiality that I have to protect.”

When asked if he thinks considers behavior in parliament is improving, Hoyle said he genuinely thinks it is getting better.

“Of course, we’re going to have division of views. That’s what politics is all about,” said Hoyle. “I don’t want them all to agree with each other. That would be pretty boring for me as well. So, it’s about having excitement in the chamber, but it’s also about controlling that excitement as well.”