After the tension between Dave and Bercow flared up again last week, the PM has responded very publicly to the Speaker’s sarcasm. PA report from the PM’s trip to Afghanistan:

“Commons Speaker John Bercow is to spend time trading places with his counterpart in Afghanistan, it was revealed today. Bercow and Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi have been lined up for an exchange scheme agreed between the two countries. Asked if Bercow had been approached to participate in the exchange, a Downing Street spokesman said: “I am sure he is fully supportive of our efforts.”

Of course he is. Apparently “British and Afghan MPs, peers and senators could also take part…” Mark Pritchard and Peter Bone should start packing their bags.

As John Hemming MP stood up to make a point of order, under parliamentary privilege, having  announced his intention to break a superjunction in advance, he was silenced the Speaker. Twice Hemming tried to stand to make his point and twice he was silenced by Bercow who insisted the matter be discussed privately.

Away from that pesky public eh. 

UPDATE: Hemming has blogged that he sees today as mission accomplished. He broke a gag in Parliament therefore someone, whose name was previously injuncted can now be reported.

As MPs return to Westminster today after their half-term holidays the Speaker might be well advised to reflect on the fact that half the PoliticsHome panel of insiders think Bercow won’t be Speaker by the end of the Parliament, and after reports that Ministers are ready to see him removed punters are now giving him a 25% chance of going this year. Watch out for procedural machinations…

There is no denying that Sally Bercow makes for hugely entertaining copy, but the odds against a challenge to her husband in the next year tightened last night. This morning’s papers were full of anonymous quotes from ministers In the Times there was one saying “There are limits but this goes too far. This is a fierce challenge to the dignity of Parliament. The sooner we are rid of the both of them, the better”. In the Mail another said the photo yesterday “brought Parliament into disrepute and was likely to hasten efforts to remove her husband as Speaker.”

The discontent is growing and coming from higher up the Tory ladder.

UPDATE: Another Tory backbencher comes forward describing the Bercow’s the “Marcoses of British politics.” Sally wasn’t too happy with on Radio 5 earlier.

John Bercow’s political journey is now complete. Newsnight reports that the Speaker has allowed Gerry Adams to resign his seat without taking up one of the ceremonial Crown positions that every other MP wanting to quit has had to do. In wanting to avoid giving the republican a headache, Bercow has altered the British constitution forever . It is now possible, following this precedent, for any MP to walk away with a simple letter to the Speaker.

Guido wonders what Bercow’s old singing companions from the Rangers supporters club would have to say about him sparing Adams the humiliation…

It was noted that the Speaker was very subdued in yesterday’s PMQs, but he seems to have more than made up for it today. Deputy Chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee  lost his rag with the Bercow after a fall out regarding a loo break earlier. Paul Waugh got the details:

“To register his anger at not being allowed to ask a question, Pritchard immediately wrote a letter of complaint, explaining why the Speaker was wrong (including the toilet break). He went to the Speaker’s office to submit the letter. But, several minutes later, on walking back along the corridor behind the Speaker’s chair, the Tory MP then encountered Mr Bercow walking towards him with his usual formal entourage. The Speaker then stopped and pointed at Pritchard and said: “The courtesy of the House is that Honourable Members should stand aside when the Speaker passes by”. Pritchard was so outraged at this further slight that he replied: “Mr Speaker, don’t point at me. I am not here to be abused by you.” Bercow countered: ”You will obey the courtesies of the House!” To which Pritchard replied with the immortal line: ”You are not fucking royalty, Mr Speaker!”"

This is just the latest spilling over of underlying tensions within the Tory benches and high command. First it was Nadine, then Simon Burns, the Tory Chief whip, and now Pritchard. These outbursts are becoming a regular occurrence. Anyone would think the Tories didn’t exactly see eye to eye with their Speaker…

UPDATE: Guido knew this would come in useful one day. Seems that it’s not just Bercow who enjoys his elevated position:

Pritchard apparently gets very upset when people don’t obey the sign in the car park of his constituency office.

The Speaker has decreed that because Eric Illsley’s case is still sub judice no move to expel him can be made until sentencing.  So the thief can continue troughing on his taxpayers salary for another month. To the public such a measure looks absurd and antiquated. Nearly 2,000 people have signed the petition calling for Illsley to do the right thing and fall on his sword. Guido hears there are plans to deliver the names to the disgraced member in person…

UPDATE: Paul Waugh reports of the distinct unease at the Speakers ruling:

“Well, to all of us hacks we found this jaw-droppingly wrong. How on earth can something still be sub judice when a judge rather than a jury is the only person left in the legal process? Judges cannot be influenced by words in newspapers, unlike juries. We’re not the only ones who think the Speaker’s advice was misguided. Labour clearly have their doubts and are desperate to call for the resolution and avoid getting the blame for Illsley being allowed – let’s not forget this – to pick up at least another month’s taxpayer-funded salary as an MP.”

Apparently Downing Street aren’t too impressed either…

Tell the Speaker what you think.

Speaker Bercow is probably one of the few people in politics with more enemies than Guido. He has proved those former Tory colleagues who warned against him right in their minds by slapping down the PM at PMQs on bizarre grounds, having a stand up row with the Tory chief-whip and being widely perceived as partial by the government benches. His slightly dotty Labour-supporting missus, whilst adding to the gaiety of life with her demented twittering, does the Speaker no favours, the Tory press despises the couple. Rumour has it that at the last Labour Party conference the Mail’s Andy Pierce, much the worse for wear, insulted Sally Bercow with such misogynistic vitriol that she was reduced to tears and his own colleagues had to remove him from the bar. Suffice to say the Bercows get a terrible press.

Guido thinks in many ways Bercow is better than his predecessor, but he has clearly lost the confidence of a signifcant section of the House. Nigel Evans coming out is widely seen as a precursor to a putsch which has the acquiesence of the government benches if not their official imprimatur.

That being the case the new bet on the Speaker being ousted looks good value…

It was the who’s who of the Westminster gay scene at the Speakers apartment last night for the launch of “ParliOut”, though Lembit Opik was sure to never lose physical contact with his latest blonde, just in case anyone got the wrong idea. There were huge cheers for the popular Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans, who came out in to the Mail on Sunday, joking that IPSA no longer let him claim for a closet.

More amusing was his suggestion that it was the bored researchers and hacks favourite, EyeSpy.MP, that had triggered his move. Evans had recently been spotted in Soho’s gay Ku Bar drinking champagne. Apparently he was more concerned about being grassed up for the banned fizz than his choice of company…

The Speaker’s House is Godless again this year:

The clue is in the title…