The wheels of diplomacy are oiled by the exchange of tokens – and plenty of booze, it seems<ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/10/lindsay-hoyle-house-of-commons-speaker-gifts-kept">House of Commons speaker has kept almost 300 gifts over past four years</a></li></ul>Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the House of Commons, has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/10/lindsay-hoyle-house-of-commons-speaker-gifts-kept">declared hundreds of gifts</a> he received from foreign dignitaries and others since 2021. Here is a small selection of the items he kept.1) Bottle of rum <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/10/lindsay-hoyle-commons-speaker-hampers-cufflinks-and-a-lot-of-alcohol">Continue reading...</a>

This highlights the tradition of diplomatic gift-giving, raising questions about transparency and the ethical implications of public officials accepting such items. While common, it underscores broader debates about accountability in political office.

The wheels of diplomacy are oiled by the exchange of tokens – and plenty of booze, it seems

House of Commons speaker has kept almost 300 gifts over past four years

Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the House of Commons, has declared hundreds of gifts he received from foreign dignitaries and others since 2021. Here is a small selection of the items he kept.
1) Bottle of rum
 Continue reading...

Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the UK House of Commons, has retained nearly 300 gifts over the past four years, including alcohol, hampers, and cufflinks, from foreign dignitaries and others as part of diplomatic exchanges.  

Hampers, cufflinks … and a lot of alcohol: 20 gifts kept by Lindsay Hoyle

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