Rightwing backbenchers unhappy at filming in chamber plotted to knock over cameraman, but were thwarted by Westminster security, BBC2 film-maker says

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A group of rightwing Tory MPs plotted to sabotage a BBC documentary about the House of Commons by knocking over a cameraman and forcing filming to be abandoned, it has been claimed.

The film-maker Michael Cockerell said there was a small group of Conservative MPs who were unhappy that crew had been given unprecedented access to the Commons for the documentary, which begins on BBC2 next week.

Cockerell said a handful of backbenchers hatched a plot to knock over a member of the production team who was filming on the floor of the Commons during prime minister’s question time, forcing proceedings to be brought to a halt.

But the plan was thwarted after it was rumbled by Commons security and the filming, which took place over the course of a year, went ahead unchecked.

The Tory MP Bill Wiggin is seen in the first episode complaining to the speaker, John Bercow, about the presence of a cameraman, but Cockerell said Wiggin was not one of the MPs responsible.

“There was a plan by backbenchers to knock our cameraman over and proceedings would be suspended and we would be blamed for it,” said Cockerell at the programme launch on Thursday.

“It was thwarted. Security understood what was apparently planned and they averted it. These people know a lot about what’s going on.”

Cockerell, a veteran of many acclaimed fly-on-the-wall documentaries, said it had taken months of negotiation to obtain access for the documentary, which was first proposed six years ago.

He said he did not know how the MPs had planned to topple his cameraman. “Maybe go backwards and the cameraman might go backwards,” he said.

Cockerell blamed a group of Conservatives who sit on the back of the government benches nicknamed the “berserkers”.

“There were occasional times when MPs on the naughty bench or what Number 10 calls the ‘berserkers’ were not very pleased about our presence and thought we were getting in their way. The contrary was true,” he said.

“In parliament every day there are cunning plans by various groups, it is a place made for plotting and conspiracy. We heard of many plots throughout the whole of our time there – not necessarily against us – they were always plotting a coup one way or another. It’s the nature of the place.

“The doorkeepers are eyes and ears of the place and the internal security system. The serjeant at arms is in charge of security and there is a sense they understood what they had planned … they averted it.”

Wiggin, the Tory MP for north Herefordshire, is seen in the programme protesting to the speaker about the cameraman’s presence behind him. “Will you find a safe place for this camera crew so he can film without getting in our way?”

The speaker replied: “The camera crew is not interfering with the business of the House and everybody is safe.”

Cockerell said: “I excuse Bill Wiggin. I’m not blaming him. That was not the event I am talking about.” He said most MPs were happy to have the camera crew along.

The opening episode of the four-part documentary, Inside The Commons, features David Cameron and Ed Miliband talking about their experience of prime ministers’ questions.

The prime minister says: “About five minutes beforehand you think, ‘Oh, you know, have I got to do this again?’” and says it fills him with “total fear and trepidation”.

The Labour leader adds: “I find the anticipation is worse than the reality.”

It also shows copies of the emails sent to Tory MPs ahead of PMQs suggesting “friendly” questions about the Government’s “long term economic plan”.

Cameron defends the planted questions. “In politics you have go to try and have a clear message and in my team there are some messages we want to get across – we want a long term economic plan.”

During the filming, some MPs publicly raised objections to the idea of being captured on camera going through the voting lobbies.

Gerald Howarth, a Conservative former defence minister, worried that MPs could be filmed “plotting” if the documentary crew were to be allowed access to this parliamentary procedure.

“In the lobby, right honourable and honourable members confer, often on sensitive matters, and in my humble opinion it would be quite improper for those conversations to be recorded,” he told the Commons last June.

Another Tory MP, Heather Wheeler, mentioned a “feeling among members that the television cameras are going perhaps too far, too fast”.

Speaker Bercow allowed the film crew access to many parts of parliament but put his foot down about some areas, including the Commons tea room, as he said he did “not think that an honourable member consuming a cup of tea and beans on toast should be subjected to a film crew”.