Today is the birthday of a little character who used to plant himself in the centre of British Politics. After finally stepping down as Commons Speaker in 2019, whatever has happened to John Bercow?

Despite desperately wanting a peerage – even being nominated for one by the outgoing Jeremy Corbyn – Bercow has not returned to Westminster. Indeed, apart from a “part-time professorship of politics” at Royal Holloway, it doesn’t look like the former Prince of Parliament has a job at all. Indeed, Bercow’s slide into irrelevance has sparked a persistent rumour in Westminster – that he will follow in Anne Widdecombe’s footsteps onto the dance floor of Strictly. Although for now little John is spending his birthday with no power, no job, and no peerage. You would have to have a heart of stone not to laugh… happy birthday John!