Kiss rocker Gene Simmons stuns MPs with visit to Parliament

07 June 2023 , 13:22

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Tory MP Alexander Stafford tweeted a picture posing with Gene Simmons from Kiss

Kiss star Gene Simmons paid an unexpected visit to Parliament today where he described witnessing the "controlled chaos" of Prime Minister's Questions.

The rocker stunned MPs when he popped up in the House of Commons as a guest of hard-line DUP MP Ian Paisley, who took him on a private tour.

Simmons, who is in the UK for the band's End Of The Road tour, swapped his heavy make up for a more muted outfit of leather trousers, shades and a black jacket as he posed for a selfie with Tory MP Alexander Stafford.

He was then seen enjoying PMQs from the Commons chamber, where Oliver Dowden took on Angela Rayner in a clash of the deputies as Rishi Sunak is on a trip to the US.

Speaking in central lobby afterwards, Simmons told PA: "What I just saw in there was controlled chaos. It was the clash of wills but respectful - the right honourable so and so, it was fascinating.

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Gene Simmons, of US glam rockers Kiss, was in Parliament today (Getty Images)

"In America, it's like the middle finger is a salute. I think Americans can take a big lesson in civility in how to make democracy actually work and still respect the other side."

Asked if he had visited Parliament before, Simmons said: "Never to Parliament - taught it to my students, but never was physically here and I will tell you, touching a piece of granite that's over 1,000 years old is insane.

"America is so young and has no sense of history, everything over there is just fast, immediate, instant gratification and there's no time to sit there and just gaze, I mean, look where you are - it's insane.

"We're standing on, in terms of democracy, hallowed ground."

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Lizzy Buchan