Bollitics: Speaker Elections 2009

[snowychap]

As it's now just bercow vs young I can't see more than a handful of labour votes going against the new speaker and one who we are now stuck with for a good few terms, someone who once supported 'hang mandela' (no not you this time tony)

You'll have to fill us in because I can't picture either of them having not been a 'hang Mandela' person.

Though, as you said a good few terms, I guess you mean The Berc.

[Gringo]

Brown's candidate for Speaker: Right wing turncoat who is hated by many Tory MPs

Mr Bercow became chairman of the Federation of Conservative Students (FCS), which was accused of brandishing 'hang Nelson Mandela' slogans. Mr Bercow was in charge of the FCS when it was shut down by party chairman Norman Tebbit.

You have to love the daily heil's style when it comes to headlines - I reckon peter hitchens must be moonlighting as a sub-ed there.

[snowychap]

The Berc has won.

Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi!

[tonyh29]

Tories don't seem happy with it apparently ??

[drat01]

Tories don't seem happy with it apparently ??

Why should any party be happy or unhappy with it? It's a secret free vote unless of course they have been voting on party lines?

[Jondaken]

He looks like a midget. Midgets don't lie so I'm happy.

[snowychap]

Tories put victorious Commons Speaker John Bercow on probation

John Bercow was elected as Commons Speaker last night and immediately put on probation by a Tory party that had largely refused to vote for him.

The maverick former rightwinger was, as tradition dictates, dragged to the Commons Chair after soundly winning a final run-off with another Tory, Sir George Young.

But he was warned by fellow Conservatives that his tenure in the job could be short.

Mr Bercow’s shock election came at the end of a day of extraordinary tension, but he could be one of the shortest-serving Speakers in history if senior Conservatives follow through with threats issued privately last night to challenge him if David Cameron wins next year’s election.

The warning reflects Mr Bercow’s journey from the fringes of the far Right to a point where he was suspected of being ready to defect to Labour. He succeeded with the support of many Labour MPs who knew him to be a thorn in Mr Cameron’s side. He won the final round by 322 votes to 271. While Labour MPs cheered loudly, most Tories sat on their hands glumly. One Tory MP, on hearing the result, shouted: “Not in my name.”

Speakers have to be re-elected at the start of each Parliament and one member of the Shadow Cabinet said that there was a “100 per cent” chance that Mr Bercow would face a contest unless he exhibited total impartiality.

The Shadow minister added: “He has to demonstrate in the Chair that he will hold the executive to account and not be beholden to the people who have elected him. He has to show that he believes in modernisation and that modernisation is not going to be defined by the people who helped get him the job.”

The remarks referred to suggestions that senior Labour figures had tried to organise support for candidates who might not take matters such as the appointment of members of select committees out of the hands of whips.

Another Shadow Cabinet member said that Mr Bercow would face a challenge to be re-elected next year. “He is not popular. He has enjoyed being Labour’s man in this contest. His speech today was dreadful. He is quite unacceptable.”

Nevertheless, it remains doubtful that Mr Cameron would want one of the first acts of a Tory government to be the removal of a Tory Speaker.

On taking the Chair Mr Bercow said that he was keenly aware of the obligations into which he had entered. He had said earlier that any Speaker had permanently to cast aside all of their political views. He told MPs: “We do have to reform but I continue to believe that the vast majority of Members of this House are upright, decent honourable people who have come into politics not to feather their nests but because they have heeded the call of public service.”

It is the first time a Speaker has been elected by secret vote. Ten candidates in the first round were reduced to six in the second. With Mr Bercow and Sir George well ahead, Ann Widdecombe, Sir Alan Haselhurst, Margaret Beckett and Sir Alan Beith dropped out. Mr Bercow was elected on the third ballot.

In short speeches to the Commons earlier, all ten hopefuls stressed the need for reform after public outrage over MPs’ expenses revelations — the issue that led to Michael Martin stepping down as Speaker after nine years.

And how does the Berc know this? Is it because he knows full well what someone who wishes to feather their nest is like and recognises others who do not resemble him?

p.s. I wonder whether he will remember whether or not he paid CGT?

p.p.s. Fair play indeed to the bod holding the placard behind all of the newscasters about 'shyster MPs'.

[Santa_Rosa]

John Virgo eh? Who'd a thunk it?

[Jon]

John Virgo eh? Who'd a thunk it?

"Pot (Pocket) as many balls (bungs) as you can"

[Santa_Rosa]

When I saw your post was next Jon, I knew it would involve a couple of bad puns and a crowbar :winkold:

Off Topic, but a mate of mine thought his catchphrase was "Pot as many balls as you LIKE". Which probably wouldn't have made for the best of spectator sports.

Back On Topic, presumably, as the Tories don't like this Tory (?), they'll boot him out if, as expected, they win the next GE (spit)

[mjmooney]

He looks like a midget. Midgets don't lie so I'm happy.

Mr & Mrs Bercow:

[Jondaken]

Surely they just voted for him because he has no sense of power or presence, so they can just ignore him while they have shouting matches?

I mean the other guy wasnt too tall, but he was fat, and old looking.

[snowychap]

Back On Topic, presumably, as the Tories don't like this Tory (?), they'll boot him out if, as expected, they win the next GE (spit)

I can't see them doing that (booting him out) unless he proves to be a truly dreadful choice over the next year.

[Santa_Rosa]

Quite a few on the opposition benches looking distinctly non-plussed with the appointment though Snowy.

[snowychap]

Quite a few on the opposition benches looking distinctly non-plussed with the appointment though Snowy.

Oh, very much so. He was quite clearly not 'their man'.

I can't see them wanting to be shown up so early in a new parliament as tribal grudge bearers should they win the next election, though.

I'll take one crumb of comfort from his election and appointment that the awful Nadine Dorries won't be pleased.

[Dale]

Back On Topic, presumably, as the Tories don't like this Tory (?), they'll boot him out if, as expected, they win the next GE (spit)

He is a bit of a lefty by Tory standards.... So they dislike him

He is Tory so Labour don't like him.

Its amazing he got there, clearly has some friends!

[Santa_Rosa]

Quite a few on the opposition benches looking distinctly non-plussed with the appointment though Snowy.

Oh, very much so. He was quite clearly not 'their man'.

I can't see them wanting to be shown up so early in a new parliament as tribal grudge bearers should they win the next election, though.

Ah, I see what you mean. Hadn't thought of it like that.

[tonyh29]

awful Nadine Dorries

nice to see her barracking him during his first speech :-)

[Gringo]

Back On Topic, presumably, as the Tories don't like this Tory (?), they'll boot him out if, as expected, they win the next GE (spit)

I can't see them doing that (booting him out) unless he proves to be a truly dreadful choice over the next year.

I think he has every chance of being booted out unless he performs exceptionally well / impartially over the next 12 months.

Back On Topic, presumably, as the Tories don't like this Tory (?), they'll boot him out if, as expected, they win the next GE (spit)

He is a bit of a lefty by Tory standards.... So they dislike him

He is Tory so Labour don't like him.

Its amazing he got there, clearly has some friends!

Anyone reading private eye over the past 12 months will have seen a lot of articles about bercows actions in parliament sucking up to the labour front bench and mocking his own colleagues when they are speaking. He has been on a mission to be seen as an acceptable next spreaker as he knew his chances of promotion within his own party where less than zilch (ie more likely to be deselected than gettign anywhere near a shadow ministerial position).

[Gringo]

awful Nadine Dorries

nice to see her barracking him during his first speech :-)

Impossible! They voted for someone worse than Gorbals Mick

There he stood in the big green chair, puffed up like an amphibian that had scoffed too many volauvents. 'My first thought at this time,' he said from Parliament's bully pulpit, 'is, as you will understand, of...'

He was going to mention his wife but at this point a female voice from the Tory benches shouted: 'Your wages.'