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But culture secretary Matt Hancock mocked the Scottish Nationalists’ for their failed tactics because English Tory MPs continued to watch the match on their phones as they trooped through the lobbies.
He said: “We were going through the voting lobbies watching the match on phones, so I was voting to fund the NHS next year and watching the football at the same time.
Mr Hancock also suggested the SNP may have forced the votes because they were upset that Scotland did not reach the World Cup finals.
The five votes took about 66 minutes because the SNP dragged their feet in walking through the lobbies to vote in what appeared to be a vindictive move.
Their time wasting led to Deputy Speaker Eleanor Laing twice sending in officials to investigate what the delay was.
At one point Tory MP Sir Bernard Jenkin called a point of order, asking: “Do you suppose that the SNP would be calling so many divisions this evening if it were Scotland playing an important football match this evening?”
Scottish Tory MP Douglas Ross, an international referee, atacked the Nationalists “pathetic theatrics”.
Mr Ross pointed out: “It doesn’t just affect members of this House, it affects House staff.”
The criticism from the respected Tory backbencher led to what appeared to be threats from the SNP benches with some Nationalist MPs shouting: “You watch your mouth.”
Although she ruled that nothing disorderly had happened, Dame Eleanor noted: “I’m quite sure those who have called five divisions this evening know the effect that their calling of those divisions has had.”
The bad temper displayed by the Colombian football team in Moscow spilled over into the Commons with the SNP tactics.
Culture minister Margot James was seen confronting the SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, who had vowed to do what he could to disrupt parliament after failing to get his way on the Brexit devolution debate.
She was heard saying: “What about the people who work here?”
Defending his decision to call the votes, Mr Blackford said: “Perhaps it is pertinent, given some of the angst from the government benches, to point out just exactly what has happened this evening.
“The reason that we’re here is because of government business, it is the government that is responsible for timetabling.”
He added: “By voting this evening was the only opportunity that we have had to speak out against the continued austerity of this Conservative government and the attack on the budget of Scotland.”
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