Is it speechlessness? Panic? Or a hope that the furore will blow over? One of these three options has to account for Labour’s now three and a half hour-long silence on John Bercow. Not only did Labour accept him as a member while knowing he was under investigation, they’ve allowed him to play an active role in the party, recently helping to force out the left-leaning chair of his local Battersea Labour branch. Lest we forget, Corbyn also lobbied for Bercow to receive a peerage in 2019…

It was a Labour MP, Sir Kevin Barron, who was chairing the Standards Committee back when the allegations first emerged; he’s now told Patrick Maguire Starmer must expel Bercow “urgently”. Former Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom, who publicly called out Bercow’s abuse on the floor of the chamber, has also called for Labour to expel the bully:

“I am sure that Keir Starmer will want to reflect on the Labour Party’s position and Mr Bercow’s membership of the Party in light of the findings. It is my view that Keir Starmer should expel Mr. Bercow from the Labour Party”

Sir Keir’s had no issue wielding the knife against the hard left – what is it, Guido wonders, that’s preventing the party from expelling the man who fabricated the parliamentary ruses to block Brexit in collusion with Starmer?

UPDATE: After 5 hours Labour finally suspends Bercow…