Sir Henry Bellingham has withdrawn from the speakership race. His concession letter emphasises the importance of cross-party support. Whispers are this is a tacit endorsement of Lindsay Hoyle, who is expected to pick up most of Bellingham’s second preference votes…
Read his letter to MPs in full here:
Labour MP Meg Hillier – who is currently running to replace Bercow as Commons Speaker – has taken the unprecedented step of writing to MPs’ staffers promising to address the prevalent bullying problem in parliament. Conveniently, the biggest obstacle to resolving the issue will be leaving his post very shortly…
In the email, Hillier writes
“I am running because of my concerns about the slow progress in tackling the culture of bullying and harassment that is still too prevalent in Westminster.
…
Whether you are employed by the House or by an individual MP, we should be nurturing the talent that chooses to work to support Parliament in its important work. All too often staff have been let down.
I fully support the establishment of an independent complaint mechanism and sanctions for those who act inappropriately. But more than that we need to see a wholescale shift in culture.
I did not want you to think that I am talking about you and not with you. I am speaking to trade unions and staff association representatives.”
Hillier is also pledging to begin representing staff on the Speaker’s Committee on IPSA and the House of Commons Commission. Like all good lobbyists, she’s realised MPs’ staffers are an effective place to start…
News has come to light that a very short man, perhaps prone to temper and who enjoys ignoring the advice of his elders is interested in running to be the next speaker of the Commons. It’s not John Bercow who plans on standing again, however, but a nine-year-old constituent of Michelle Donelan’s who received a letter from Oscar today asking to be made Speaker. In response, Michelle wrote, “I think it’s great that Oscar has taken such a keen interest in politics… should we give him a trial?”.
Already, the keen kid has his second MP backer, Guido can reveal, as Andrew Bridgen tells us that Oscar’s appointment “would be a definite improvement, and even a nine-year-old can spot it!”
Sadly for Oscar, only MPs can become Speaker and since The Representation of the People Act 1969 only people ages 18 and above can stand as MPs, so Guido can’t add Oscar to our Speaker runners and riders list. Although there is technically nothing stopping him from becoming ennobled and becoming Lords Speaker…
Bercow confirms that the Cross of St George will not fly above Parliament for the Brexit derby tonight, but it will for future World Cup games. Beaten to it on Whitehall…
A subtle demolition of Bercow by Greg Hands:
“Mr Speaker, we all need to keep our election pledges, and that, Mr Speaker, applies whether we made those pledges one year ago or nine years ago.”
He lied…
Welcome back to Twitter to Sally Bercow, whose return has been verified by her lawyer David Allen Green. Sally is picking up where she left off, starting with a vocal defence of Brexit-hating rebels Dominic Grieve and Lord Moat:
Plenty of tweets and retweets accusing Number 10 of lying about Brexit and Theresa May of “dangerous, anti-democratic nonsense”:
She is also clearly enjoying trolling Bercow critic James Duddridge and insists the Speaker isn’t going anywhere:
Good to have you back, Sally…
