Sir Lindsey Hoyle says he will allow Big Ben to chime on Brexit day
Sir Lindsey Hoyle has given the green light for Big Ben’s bell to be rung at the moment Britain leaves the EU.
Speaking in The Sunday Telegraph, the newly-elected Speaker said he would not stand in the way if the majority MPs voted in favour of the move.
“If the House wants to do it, the House will do it,” Sir Lindsey said.
“I'm not sure whether it will be at that stage in the building work that it can ring but if that's what the House wants, I'm not going to stand in the way because of my view. My view doesn't matter.”
A campaign to have the bell rung was first mooted by Tory Brexiteers as Parliament reconvened last week.
The group of around 50 Eurosceptic MPs came up with the campaign as a direct challenge to former speaker John Bercow’s ruling that it should be silent.
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Sir Lindsey, the MP for Chorley, later played down reports that he would guarantee the bell would be rung, but said he would not get in the way.
“What I’m willing to do is allow the House to make that decision,” said the ex-Labour politician.
“But the story suddenly was, ‘Lindsay Hoyle was going to bong Big Ben himself’, by the sounds of it.”
The 160-year-old Elizabeth Tower - the tower which houses the bell known as Big Ben has been undergoing a £60million renovation.
But the clock's once hourly chimes have been silenced to protect the hearing of construction workers in the tower.
Big Ben only rings only sound at moments of national significance, such as Remembrance Sunday and New Year.
