Queen’s Speech 2015: Dennis Skinner breaks tradition and stays silent

Dennis Skinner declined to make his traditional heckle upon Black Rod entering the Commons. But here's a collection of his most memorable Queen's Speech interjections over the years.

By New Statesman

(Photo By Dennis Skinner tearing down the House of Commons. Photo: YouTube)

The “Beast of Bolsover” and veteran of the Labour benches Dennis Skinner’s jokes during the State Opening of Parliament have become a tradition as entrenched as Black Rod’s knocking (albeit louder and more raucous).

But today, he remained silent, following Black Rod entering the Commons and summoning MPs to hear the Queen in the House of Lords. His reason? He was too tired. Skinner is getting up at the crack of dawn to ensure he takes his usual seat in the Commons, which the new SNP MPs have been trying to reserve since arriving. He told the Telegraph: “You have to get up very early in the morning to do it. I was up at just after 6 o’clock and I had to do it yesterday.”