SNP MPs ‘good parliamentarians’ says speaker

The speaker of the House Commons has said the 56 SNP MPs deserve respect for the way they support each other in the chamber.

Speaking at an event in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Bercow said many were “already proving to be very good parliamentarians.”

He said the unprecedented 56 of Scotland’s 59 MPs had not changed parliament.

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However he added: "I think the significant thing is that, whatever you think of the SNP, their parliamentary party has said something very significant by its behaviour since May about group solidarity.

"They turn up in large numbers, they turn up very regularly, they turn up to support each other and a lot of them are already proving to be very good parliamentarians.

"It's not for me to support the SNP or oppose the SNP and I wouldn't dream of doing so, but I'm simply saying respect where it's due."