-
.
- Ελληνικά
As an opportunity to reaffirm the strong Cyprus-UK friendship and mutual commitment to democratic values, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, will pay an official visit to Cyprus next week to mark the 60th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Cyprus.
"It was a great pleasure to meet President Demetriou at the European Conference of Speakers of Parliaments (last October in Athens). Not only did I have the opportunity for a good discussion, but I also received the invitation to come and commemorate the 60th anniversary of the independence of Cyprus, even though two years later because of the pandemic," the two-time head of one of the oldest democratic institutions in the world said, speaking to CNA in the historic state rooms of the Palace of Westminster which houses the British Parliament. "It is an absolute honour for me," he added.
Sir Lindsay sees his institutional presence in Cyprus as a "significant moment for the bilateral relationship". Among other things, on Tuesday, he will meet with Mrs Demetriou and address the plenary session of the House of Representatives. When informed that this would be the first official visit of a Speaker of the House of Commons to the island, he said he was delighted to pioneer a trip to "a very important friend" country such as Cyprus. "So I would like to say a big thank you to Cyprus and its people for the invitation," he said."
For Sir Lindsay such contacts make a tangible contribution to further strengthening bilateral relations. "It's always nice to have a strong relationship with a country, isn't it? When you have 50,000 Brits living in Cyprus and up to half a million Cypriots living in the UK, you can't get a stronger relationship. It's a friendship that has developed over decades and continues to grow. But beyond that, I would say we need to see what more we can do to support each other's country, what more we can do in trade, in better mutual understanding. We have a wonderful friendship but we can build further on it."
Asked how cooperation between the heads of legislatures can make a real difference to the lives of citizens, Sir Lindsay replied confidently that "we have a role to play", referring to the importance of democracy for the citizens of both countries.
"We have a job to do. We believe in democracies. We are two countries following the democratic process. We (Speakers of Parliament) are elected to represent the voters," he said initially. He was elected as a Labour MP in 1997 and has since represented the constituency of Chorley in Lancashire, NW England.
"We have our belief in democracy to unite us. That is why it is important that we support each other, as we did at the European Summit (of Speakers of Parliaments). By meeting, by sitting down for a discussion, we can share knowledge, have interaction and build a more secure future on the basis of democracy. Because if we don't have democracy, then what do we have?" he added.
Despite his "passionate" belief in democratic values, however, he does not ignore the challenges, both from outside and from within. "We are going through a difficult period and I must say we are going through fluctuations and I think we are at a low point in terms of democracy," he assessed. In support of his words, he referred to "troublemakers" around the world, to the events on Capitol Hill, to international terrorism, but also to the new challenge posed by social media, which "play an important role in destabilising democracy (...) with false 'truths' and false accusations".
On the day of the interview, Sir Lindsay had made the momentous gesture of an extraordinary statement to the plenary, in which he stressed that "words have consequences". It was a reaction to the booing of the Labour leader of the main opposition Sir Kir Starmers by a crowd of protesters, which was attributed by many to the accusation made against him in Parliament by Prime Minister Boris Johnson of failing to prosecute the paedophile Jimmy Saville when Sir Kir was head of the Crown Prosecution Service.
Sir Lindsay commented that "we cannot allow mob rule to prevail", referring again to the events of Capitol Hill. "We cannot give in to bullying, to threats on social media." He said he considered it a great responsibility to ensure the safety of MPs and parliamentary staff, his tone dropping sharply when he recalled the murders of MPs Jo Cox a week before the Brexit referendum and more recently Sir David Ames, a close friend of Cyprus, and the police guard of the House of Commons during the 2017 terrorist attack.
"I want demonstrations, I expect demonstrations. But they must be peaceful and they must be in accordance with the law. They must not lead to intimidation. And here comes the danger of the otherwise wonderful social media, which has changed the world but has a dark side," he noted. He added that those responsible for these platforms "also have a responsibility because they too must ensure that they protect democracy therefore they must take down threats and intimidation, they must ensure that truths are posted."
But beyond how citizens or media behave towards politicians and institutions, Sir Lindsay concedes that institutions, such as the one he is responsible for, must also rise to the occasion. Often in sessions of the House of Commons tempers flare, the rules of civility that theoretically distinguish British politics are forgotten. Asked whether he often finds himself resembling a teacher reprimanding naughty pupils, he smiles. But how worried is he about the quality of democracy being projected?
"Look, I'm the Speaker, I'm neutral. I don't take one side or the other. I sit in the middle and demonstrate neutrality. But what I expect is tolerance and respect from every wing of the House," he replies."
He refers to Erskine May, the so-called "bible of parliamentary procedure" in Britain with a history of almost 180 years. "It speaks of moderate language. I don't want everyone to agree, I want them to disagree, but I want them to disagree in a respectful way. You don't need to shout at someone to the contrary, you've lost the argument if that's the level you fall to. People ask me why I don't let (MPs) shout that the other person is a liar. What would a good dialogue degenerate into if that was allowed?" he asked.
Concluding the interview, the Speaker of the House of Commons returned to the visit to Cyprus. "I want to go back to Cyprus because I love Cyprus. It is a beautiful country and what a wonderful people it is. For me it is a great opportunity to reinvigorate my relationship with Cyprus and I am very excited. It will be a fantastic visit which I am looking forward to. Not only will friendships be rekindled and new friendships made, but it's also a great opportunity to celebrate 60 years of your democracy."
Source: CNA
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
