Sir Lindsay Hoyle says G7 Speakers' Conference will 'fly the flag' for his hometown of Chorley

Speaker Sir Lindsay sat down with political correspondent Lise McNally ahead of the G7 conference at Astley Hall, Chorley.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle works in two very different worlds: the pomp and politics of the palace of Westminster and getting stuck in to constituency life in Chorley.

This week, those worlds collide as the Lancashire town takes the global stage with political figures from around the world arriving for a special conference.

The G7 Speakers' Conference is being held at Astley Hall and will be hosted by the commons speaker and Chorley MP.

It is fair to say Sir Lindsay is bursting with pride for his town as the conference brings together fellow speakers from some of the most powerful nations.

Speaking to ITV Granada Reports political correspondent Lise McNally, he said: "I never really get too nervous, but of course lots of anticipation. What can go wrong? That's always the big thing isn't it.

"I put a lot of confidence in the people around me, I know they will deliver it well, so the only mistake will be me - so hopefully I'm going to get it right!"

"What Boris did for Cornwall, I want to do for Chorley."

Sir Lindsay hopes to showcase the hidden secrets of his hometown and 'fly the flag for Lancashire' on a global level.

He said: "I'm a true Lancastrian. This is about flying the flag for Chorley, where I've always lived, where I was born and brought up - and it is about putting Chorley on the map."

The Chorley MP will host the conference, giving politicians the chance to meet face-to-face for the first time in 18 months and share their experiences.

Among the politicians is US House of Representatives Nancy Peliso, who Sir Lindsey says he will not shy away from 'thorny' conversations with.

"I never think conversations are awkward, I think it's awkward if you don't have conversations", Lindsay said.

"She is the big player, she is the big beast. Of course we're going to have a chat, and there are thorny issues, but if you don't discuss them, nothing ever changes."

"Secure versus Open Parliaments?"

Change is the driving force this weekend, as speakers discuss how to keep parliaments safe, but open, in a world where terrorism is an ever present threat.

Sir Lindsay speaks openly about the terrorist attack in March 2017, when police officer Keith Palmer was stabbed to death at the gates to the Palace of Westminster

He said: "I never want to go through a moment like that again. We tragically lost our village bobby.

"When someone's dying on the cobbles of the Houses of Parliament, it becomes a reality. Security does matter to me."

Hoyle spoke about several threats made to his life - including a bomb threat - when he was appointed Speaker of the house in 2019.

"It's not about frightening me", he said "It's about making sure that doesn't frighten others from standing."

"The fact is that when women MPs say to me 'I'm not going to stand again, I don't feel safe', when all they're doing is representing their constituents...that can't be right."

Social media and the threat it poses on politics will also be discussed at the G7 conference over the two days.

He explains: "The fact that you can incite people to threaten, intimidate, bully... the threat of murder and rape - and more often than not it's usually against women MPs. So there really is a big issue there, and its something we're going to discuss."

ITV Granada Reports will bring you a special programme live from Astley Hall, in Chorley, on Friday 17 September at 6pm on ITV.