Speaker of the House of Commons: A look back
23 October – 29 October 2023
![Mr Speaker and Black Rod in the House of Common Chamber.](./assets/W0MlMKaIJu/dsc_3030-4096x2730.jpg)
On Monday, the Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle unveiled a shield in the House of Commons Chamber to Sir David Amess.
On Tuesday morning, the Speaker welcomed the EU Ambassador, Pedro Serrano, to Speaker’s House. During the afternoon the Speaker welcomed the six interns on the Speaker’s Parliamentary Gateway Programme to a lunch.
In the evening, the Speaker unveiled the UK Parliament Coronavirus Quilt in Portcullis House, the quilt is a reminder of the challenges of the pandemic but also a testament to the power of communities coming together through love and loss and each squares represents a different story from constituencies across the UK.
On Wednesday morning, the Speaker welcomed to the House of Commons, Rajmohan Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and his wife Usha Gandhi. The Speaker also welcomed John Whitley, the grandson of Speaker Whitley, to Speaker’s House.
In the afternoon, the Speaker chaired Chamber business including Prime Minister's Questions.
On Thursday, Parliament was prorogued. Following the announcement in the House of Lords, the Speaker read out the prorogation announcement in the Commons Chamber to MPs.
During the week, the following business took place in the Chamber:
- Swearing in: Two new MPs
- Statement: Israel/Gaza - Update
- Statement: Flood response to Storm Babet
- Statement: Illegal Migration Update
- General Debate: Menopause
The Speaker also presided over further business in the Chamber.
Find out more about Chamber business which took place during the week. Find out more about the Speaker's role in the Chamber.
23 October
Shield unveiling for Sir David Amess MP
The Speaker unveiled a shield in the House of Commons Chamber in memory of Sir David Amess MP, alongside his wife Lady Amess, to remember his dedication and service in the Chamber he loved. Sir David was tragically murdered in his constituency in October 2021.
![](./assets/t20C4hd8Yp/231023_mu_sir-amess-plaque-6-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/Aty7dAPrft/231023_mu_sir-amess-plaque-3-4096x2730.jpg)
![](./assets/t20C4hd8Yp/231023_mu_sir-amess-plaque-6-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
![](./assets/Aty7dAPrft/231023_mu_sir-amess-plaque-3-4096x2730.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
24 October
Welcoming the EU Ambassador
The Speaker welcomed EU Ambassador, Pedro Serrano to Speaker’s House. During the visit they discussed the UK-EU relationship and the upcoming UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly in Westminster in December.
![](./assets/MWO4Y7tihZ/231023_mu_mr-speaker-and-eu-ambassador-5-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/IKdHKnj6uL/231023_mu_mr-speaker-and-eu-ambassador-1-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/MWO4Y7tihZ/231023_mu_mr-speaker-and-eu-ambassador-5-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
![](./assets/IKdHKnj6uL/231023_mu_mr-speaker-and-eu-ambassador-1-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
Meeting the Speaker’s Parliamentary Gateway Programme interns
The Speaker met with the six new Speaker’s Parliamentary Gateway Programme interns in Speaker’s House who have recently started in their roles in the House of Commons.
![](./assets/hlbxZ0B3tI/231024_mu_speaker_s-internship-program-12-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/xTc1PMvBQj/231024_mu_speaker_s-internship-program-11-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/staDMWG4N3/231024_mu_speaker_s-internship-program-04-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/eK0mqFLpLx/231024_mu_speaker_s-internship-program-01-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/hlbxZ0B3tI/231024_mu_speaker_s-internship-program-12-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/ Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/ Maria Unger
![](./assets/xTc1PMvBQj/231024_mu_speaker_s-internship-program-11-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/ Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/ Maria Unger
![](./assets/staDMWG4N3/231024_mu_speaker_s-internship-program-04-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/ Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/ Maria Unger
![](./assets/eK0mqFLpLx/231024_mu_speaker_s-internship-program-01-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/ Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/ Maria Unger
25 October
Welcoming Mahatma Gandhi’s Grandson
The Speaker welcomed Rajmohan Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and his wife Usha Gandhi to Speaker’s House ahead of their roundtable discussion in Parliament on behalf of the organisation Initiatives of Change. Rajmohan also shared with the Speaker memories from his time in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.
![](./assets/Mbp8xbE4Md/231025_mu_mr-speaker-and-usha-gandhi-4-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/eDJk92NmUi/231025_mu_mr-speaker-and-usha-gandhi-8-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/Mbp8xbE4Md/231025_mu_mr-speaker-and-usha-gandhi-4-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
![](./assets/eDJk92NmUi/231025_mu_mr-speaker-and-usha-gandhi-8-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
Welcoming grandson of Speaker Whitley
The Speaker welcomed John Whitley, the grandson of Speaker Whitley, to Speaker’s House. Speaker Whitley undertook the role between 1921 and 1928. The family saw Speaker Whitley’s portrait, which hangs in the State rooms in Speaker's House, during the visit.
![](./assets/TpiwTQfOzE/231025_john-whitley_ab-5-3759x6600.jpg)
![](./assets/CLJq6ySLOY/hc_so_6_5-001-2300x3361.jpg)
![](./assets/iKA3EjnI3p/231025_john-whitley_ab-2-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/TpiwTQfOzE/231025_john-whitley_ab-5-3759x6600.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Andy Bailey
©UK Parliament/Andy Bailey
![](./assets/CLJq6ySLOY/hc_so_6_5-001-2300x3361.jpg)
©UK Parliamentary Archives
©UK Parliamentary Archives
![](./assets/iKA3EjnI3p/231025_john-whitley_ab-2-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Andy Bailey
©UK Parliament/Andy Bailey
26 October
Prorogation of Parliament
The Speaker read the prorogation announcement in the Commons Chamber to MPs following listening to the announcement in the House of Lords. Parliament will not meet again until the State Opening of Parliament on November 7th 2023.
![](./assets/lvzxMt20KJ/c-uk-parliament_jessica-taylor_39155-4096x2730.jpg)
![](./assets/hcoLXz5udZ/c-uk-parliament_jessica-taylor_39147-4096x2730.jpg)
![](./assets/WHFqEDoYOh/c-uk-parliament_jessica-taylor_39153-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/lvzxMt20KJ/c-uk-parliament_jessica-taylor_39155-4096x2730.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
©UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
![](./assets/hcoLXz5udZ/c-uk-parliament_jessica-taylor_39147-4096x2730.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
©UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
![](./assets/WHFqEDoYOh/c-uk-parliament_jessica-taylor_39153-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
©UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
Prime Ministers Questions took place - Click here to catch up with Wednesday 25th October’s PMQs
![](./assets/hO4ITeH6sV/251023_pmqs-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/wO9GYKUv8u/231025_mu_pmqs-14-1-560x280.jpg)
![](./assets/39i5Nd3KPn/231025_mu_pmqs-08-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/8aJWXRQXmM/231025_mu_pmqs-07-4096x2731.jpg)
![](./assets/hO4ITeH6sV/251023_pmqs-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
![](./assets/wO9GYKUv8u/231025_mu_pmqs-14-1-560x280.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
![](./assets/39i5Nd3KPn/231025_mu_pmqs-08-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
![](./assets/8aJWXRQXmM/231025_mu_pmqs-07-4096x2731.jpg)
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger
©UK Parliament/Maria Unger