Former Foreign Affairs Select Committee Chair Crispin Blunt MP has sent out an emial to Tory MPs canvassing support for an Early Day Motion he intends to table on Tuesday expressing no confidence in Bercow as Speaker of the House of Commons.

“We are in totally unprecedented territory. If colleagues are unable to say JB is partial then he will feel able to continue. But we won’t have stood up for our most basic standards and can blame no one but ourselves.”

Read the letter in full now:

Dear Colleague,

You will have seen the Press reports that the Speaker is likely to continue in office. I don’t think anyone can now reasonably sustain the case for his impartiality and we should say so. I intend to table the following motion by way of EDM on Tuesday as we return. But I will only do it if I have enough support. As a minimum this would be 100 colleagues. This makes a motion substantial and gives cover to other colleagues who sign from retribution from the Chair! 

This is the most important House matter. We all know the truth and precedent is currently an unreliable guide! We are in totally unprecedented territory. If colleagues are unable to say JB is partial then he will feel able to continue. But we won’t have stood up for our most basic standards and can blame no one but ourselves.

Please message me back directly if you are happy to be one of 100. 

I have support from Frontbenchers and expect this to be seen as a House matter. Thanks to those who have already offered. 

Best,

Crispin

That this House notes that Erskine May states that “The chief characteristics attaching to the office of Speaker in the House of Commons are authority and impartiality”, and that it further states that “Confidence in the impartiality of the Speaker is an indispensable condition of the successful working of procedure, and many conventions exist which have as their object not only to ensure the impartiality of the Speaker but also to ensure that his impartiality is generally recognized”; believes that it is impossible for this House to sustain belief in the impartiality of the Right Honourable Member for Buckingham; and therefore has no confidence in the Speaker.

Crispin Blunt MP
Member of Parliament for Reigate