FOREST MP Mark Harper was told off by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, in a fractious debate on military action in Syria.

The Conservative politician rose to his feet in a bid to interrupt Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s speech, but was ordered to sit down and remain seated.

The Speaker had just stood up to order MPs to behave after several Tories had risen to their feet to intervene.

But Mr Harper stood again as the Speaker shouted “Order” – a contravention of the Parliamentary code – and was immediately slap­ped down.

An irritated Mr Bercow blasted: “Order. Resume your seat, Mr Harper. You do not stand when I am standing and that is the end of it.

“You have sought to intervene and your attempt has not been accepted. You will now remain seated. The Leader of the Opposition has made it clear that he is bringing his speech to a conclusion.

“That is his prerogative and he will do so without being subjected to a concerted effort to stop that conclusion. You are a former Government Chief Whip.

“You know better than that, you can do better than that and you had better try. And I would not argue the toss with the Chair, if I were you.”

The Labour leader had tabled a motion saying MPs had “considered Parliament’s rights in relation to the approval of military action by British forces overseas,” but spoke against it and whipped his MPs to oppose it.

In the face of raucous heckling, Mr Corbyn said: “I am not going to give way anymore because I am about to conclude my speech.”

Outlining his proposed War Powers Act during the Tuesday, April 17, debate the Labour leader said it was for the Commons “to take matters into its own hands and take back our control.”

The motion saying MPs rights had been considered properly over the decision to take military action was passed by 317 votes to 256.

The day before, Mr Harper had told the House: “I support the decision that the Prime Minister took both to authorise action that degraded chemical wea­pons capability and to send a very clear message about its unacceptability.

“I listened very carefully to the Leader of the Opposition’s argument, but I am afraid it was not credible. He set up a “straw man” argument, saying that we shouldn’t act without UN support, despite knowing that Russia has repeatedly vetoed action against Syria.”

He claimed: “Someone never willing to use military action under any circumstances, which appears to be the Leader of the Opposition’s position, is not fit to be Prime Minister.”