Phillips regrets conduct in Parliament, alleges MP McKenzie made offensive remark about his deceased mother

Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western Mikael Phillips has expressed regret over his conduct during an incident in Parliament on Tuesday, but says he reacted angrily after Government MP Desmond McKenzie allegedly made what he described as an offensive reference to his deceased mother.

Phillips, in a statement today, strongly rejected what he described as false and misleading claims by Deputy House Leader Robert Morgan about the altercation at Gordon House following the adjournment of the House of Representatives.

Morgan, in a statement, described the incident as disgraceful, accusing Opposition parliamentarians of bringing the proceedings of the House into disrepute through what he characterised as boisterous and disrespectful behaviour during and after the sitting.