MPs trade jibes in Commons over handling of potentially explosive cargo ship
The heated exchange took place following a debate in which calls were made for a parliamentary inquiry into the case of the MV Ruby.
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Your support makes all the difference.Two MPs traded jibes in the House of Commons chamber after they became involved in a row following the final debate before Christmas.
Reform UK’s Rupert Lowe approached transport minister Mike Kane and accused him of talking “absolute drivel” in response to his concerns over a damaged ship which docked in his Great Yarmouth constituency while carrying potentially explosive fertiliser.
When the minister walked across the chamber to speak with Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice, Mr Lowe could be heard saying: “Don’t turn your back on me.”
Serjeant-at-Arms Ugbana Oyet, who is responsible for keeping order within the Commons, approached Mr Kane and Mr Lowe and advised them not to hold such a discussion in the chamber.
Mr Lowe said “please answer the questions” as he left the chamber, with Mr Kane aiming a jibe at the Reform UK MP related to his time as Southampton chairman.
The minister was heard to say: “Sold Gareth Bale … put them into administration.”
The heated exchange took place just moments after the House rose for the Christmas recess and the broadcast feed of proceedings had ended.
It followed a short debate in which Mr Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, asked for a parliamentary inquiry into the case of the MV Ruby.
The Maltese ship docked in the town after it was damaged in bad weather in the North Sea.
It held 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, which is generally safe but can become explosive if improperly managed and exposed to heat or pressure.
Norfolk County Council last month said the ship left the port to discharge some contaminated fertiliser at sea, but was given permission to return by officials acting on behalf of the Government.
Mr Lowe told the Commons: “The MV Ruby is a sorry tale of bad decision-making by Government and a selection of unaccountable, unelected quangos operating in silos without any application of common-sense.”
He added: “The outcome was a shocking and avoidable double act of environmental terrorism when around 300 tonnes of ammonium nitrate – better known as agricultural fertiliser – was dumped in the sea about 12 miles off the coast of my constituency, Great Yarmouth.”
Mr Lowe said he was “excluded from all communication and decision-making” leading up to the “catastrophic” dumping operation last month, as he questioned the Government’s account of events.
He raised 18 questions about the case, including asking “how close did Great Yarmouth come to evacuation”.
Mr Lowe added: “We now need an official parliamentary inquiry, which I very strongly request having researched the matter in great depth.
“It must not happen again and the appropriate heads must roll.”
I stand by all the decisions and actions we took and I note that everything has been resolved successfully, as we were always confident it would be the case
Mr Kane said MV Ruby left Great Yarmouth on December 1 and is now undergoing repairs.
He added the ship carrying the uncontaminated cargo left the town on December 16 for onward voyage to the Ruby’s original destination.
Mr Kane said: “Throughout this situation, my department and other authorities exercised their duty for the safety of the UK and its population along with the ship and her crew.
“I stand by all the decisions and actions we took and I note that everything has been resolved successfully, as we were always confident it would be the case.”
After Mr Tice (Boston and Skegness) intervened to ask the minister to release all the documentation connected to the case, Mr Kane replied: “The way this is being raised is a playbook.
“Assertions are made that are often outlandish, simply wrong, it’s designed to appeal to malcontents. A victimisation part comes into that playbook, habitually casting oneself as a victim of dark forces, of conspiracies, of cover up, always wanting to know where and when and transparency.
“Expecting others to accept the premise of their questions and then belittling officials and workers, who have worked extraordinarily hard, often in difficult circumstances in our seas, to belittle them, to make them see that they are wrong and that they are right.
“I think there should be a little more dignity in the approach taken by members opposite in this matter.”