Penny Mordaunt delivers brutal Commons takedown over SNP’s national anthem snub
Penny Mordaunt slams SNP over national anthem controversy
Penny Mordaunt has taken a brutal swipe at the SNP over its Westminster leader snubbing the national anthem.
Stephen Flynn was silent when God Save the King was sung during the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph.
The Commons leader condemned Mr Flynn’s failure to sing the national anthem as she responded to her SNP counterpart Deidre Brock during business questions this morning.
Ms Mordaunt said: “I’m sure Mr Speaker would take a dim view if I refused to answer the Honorable Lady’s question.
“If I just stood here in silence because I didn’t fancy doing it or I objected strongly to the content and tone of it.
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“He might ask if I had done that why I would have shown up this morning if I was not prepared to do my duty in this House, if I was not prepared to show respect to this House.
“It would be a bit like attending the Cenotaph and not singing the national anthem.”
The SNP’s Westminster leader was among senior politicians attending the service led by the King on November 12.
He came under criticism at the time for failing to sing the national anthem at the ceremony commemorating the nation’s war dead.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallagher insisted the Aberdeen South MP should have taken part in the national anthem.
Ms Gallacher said: “Stephen Flynn is entitled to his republican views, but as Westminster leader of the SNP he has a duty to show respect to our head of state and to all nations and anthems.
“By apparently refusing to join in with the national anthem, especially at a service to honour those who gave their lives for this country, he has fallen shamefully short of this.”
Mr Flynn’s silence during the national anthem was also slammed by a number of people on X, formerly Twitter.
An SNP spokesperson said at the time: “Stephen Flynn was honoured to represent the SNP at the Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph, which is about remembering the sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms, including members of Mr Flynn’s family.
“It is disappointing that the Scottish Conservative Party is seeking to politicise Remembrance Sunday in this way, on a day when we should be united in remembering the service of others.”
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