'Oh dear': Commons Deputy Speaker mocks Scottish independence bill

A DEPUTY Speaker of the House Commons joked about a Scottish independence bill as it was introduced in the House of Commons.

SNP MP Patrick Grady tabled the Scotland (Independence) Bill on Thursday and asked for it to be given a second reading on July 4.

As the title of the bill was read out, however, Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing joked: "Oh dear."

This led to laughs across the chamber (below).

Scottish-born Dame Eleanor, a Tory MP, is standing down at the election and added: "I've stood here for 10 and a half years not saying what I think, the honourable gentleman knows very well what I think of that one."

The bill will not make any further progress in the Commons ahead of Parliament's dissolution for the General Election.

It was first introduced by Alba MP Neale Hanvey and attempts to devolve the power to hold referendums on the constitution to the Scottish Parliament.

Asked afterwards about the bill, Grady – a Glasgow North MP who is also set to step down – told the PA news agency that introducing the bill was a "way of using the last few hours of this Parliament to put on record my continued determination to work for Scotland's independence."

He said, in full: "With the election taking place at short notice, about as early in the second half of the year as humanly possible, tabling the bill was a way of using the last few hours of this Parliament to put on record my continued determination to work for Scotland's independence and the powers to build a fair and just society that takes its place as an equal on the world stage."