Teacher offers Lindsay Hoyle advice on how to control ‘challenging’ classes

UK politics is proving itself to be even more uncontrollable and unpredictable in recent weeks, what with the whole Boris Johnson resigning and triggering a bitter Conservative Party leadership contest thing.

And so when things get a little heated between the political parties, the House of Commons chamber has a tendency to become rather animated – as we saw earlier this week when Speaker Lindsay Hoyle kicked two Scottish MPs out of the Commons.

Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey, from Alex Salmond’s Alba Party, were ejected after they staged a rowdy protest demanding a second referendum on Scottish independence during Prime Minister’s Questions.

“Either shut up, or get out,” Mr Hoyle told the MPs, in an intervention which saw his voice break and call on members from the Conservative benches to “shut up a minute”.

The incident saw the Speaker compared to his predecessor John Bercow online, as people claimed Mr Hoyle “lost control”.

Yet one Twitter user – a primary school teacher by the name of Gemma Clark – has had a thread go viral on the platform when she offered some advice for Mr Hoyle to deal with “challenging classes”.

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“There’s lots of simple things you can do! The most important thing to do is talk to the MPs who needed time out today.

“Rebuild those relationships and then move on. It’s important to let every day be a new start for your MPs.

“Next, we think introducing some simple classroom routines could help. For example, a clap that the MPs copy, a call and answer routine or even raising your hand and waiting for silence,” Ms Clark wrote on Wednesday.

The suggestions soon got sillier, as the writer suggested a points system for rewarding good MPs, a prize for the “best-behaved bench” and a “seating plan”.

Also, stickers, because “everyone loves a sticker”.

Damn, right they do, Ms Clark.

She continued: “Of course, MPs like to sit with their friends, but are there any who are causing each other distraction in the Commons? Maybe those tricky MPs could sit next to a well-behaved peer who could model the behaviour you are looking for?

“Remind the MPs that their friendships are very important but in the Commons, it’s ‘politics time’ and they can see each other after break.

“Most MPs will buy into your House of Commons management but if some aren’t, try calling the MP’s parent for an informal chat. Most parents of MPs want to support the House Speaker and work in partnership with you.”

Fellow Twitter users have since branded the suggestions as “hilarious”:

We haven’t seen anything yet from the Speaker or his representatives as to whether he’ll take this advice on board.

We can only hope.

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