The House of Commons descended into farce as MPs debated the next steps for Brexit .

Tensions were high and parliament erupted after the leader of the opposition was seen to prevent a second referendum supporter from speaking.

Jeremy Corbyn refused to take an intervention from Labour MP Angela Smith despite allowing other MPs to intervene.

Ms Smith, who supports a second referendum, was repeatedly ignored leading to some Tory MPs shouting "behind you" while Mr Corbyn spoke.

Eventually she asked her party leader: "Is my right honourable friend giving way or not?"

The Commons erupted as Mr Corbyn stonewalled Ms Smith and instead gave way to Yvette Cooper whose amendment the party leadership is now supporting.

In the end Environment Secretary Michael Gove asked Jeremy Corbyn why he would not take an intervention from Angela Smith who, he said, has been a "member of the Labour party for 37 years".

While the Chief Whip Julian Smith held up a sign on which its understood he had written in biro: "Angela wants to ask about a second referendum."

Mr Corbyn’s stubbornness was raised repeatedly by other MPs. 

Tory Nadine Dorries asked if it was "in order" for the Leader of the Opposition to only take interventions from "male members".

While Angela Smith herself wondered if the Leader of the Opposition couldn’t hear her because she was sat directly behind.

But the Speaker insisted that he had done nothing wrong.

Ms Smith, who had wanted to ask about a second referendum, told Business Insider: "I’m sorely disappointed that the LOTO failed so badly to listen to what I had to say. It goes against the spirit of how we debate important issues in the HoC."

Labour MP Lisa Nandy said: "After 2 hours we’ve had acres of heat but very little light. Now the chamber is full of people shouting, the Tory chief whip is waving pantomime props at the press gallery and an MP has just shown she doesn’t know what a point of order is. What an embarrassing shambles this is."

The head of the Green Party Caroline Lucas also expressed her dismay.

She tweeted: "Parliament has descended into unprecedented farce & the idea that our EU colleagues will be watching this is excruciating.

"Greatest crisis in recent history – and MPs respond with braying, barracking & pantomime No wonder this place is held in such contempt."

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