British ex-politician, a cult figure in the US, will reportedly appear alongside Love Island’s Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu
Former House of Commons speaker John Bercow is reportedly starring in the upcoming series of TV show The Traitors US, alongside Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu.
The former MP will feature alongside reality TV stars from Big Brother, Dancing With The Stars and RuPaul’s Drag Race, according to media reports.
Continue reading...Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme was set up three years ago to process official HR complaints
Before this week, 56 MPs – including two shadow cabinet ministers – had reportedly been referred to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), a parliamentary watchdog established more than three years ago.
The profile of the ICGS has been heightened after news that a Conservative MP, who allegedly watched pornography on his phone in the House of Commons, has been reported to it.
Continue reading...Former Speaker says party has become reactionary and xenophobic under its current leadership
• The blue wall: what next for the Tories after shock defeat?
John Bercow, the former Tory MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, has delivered an extraordinary broadside against Boris Johnson and the Conservative party as he announces he has switched his political allegiance to Labour.
In an explosive interview with the Observer, Bercow says he regards today’s Conservative party as “reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic”.
Continue reading...Former Speaker tells Guardian Live event that the issue has been ‘weaponised’
The former Commons Speaker John Bercow has described parliamentary staff members who allege that he bullied people as “snobs and bigots”, and claimed he is the victim of a concerted campaign to destroy his reputation.
In conversation with Owen Jones at a Guardian Live event in Sloane Square in central London, he mocked those who have complained about him and denied all the allegations surrounding his behaviour.
Continue reading...What next for John Bercow – Speaker for 10 years, and a household name thanks to Brexit? One thing he knows is that it won’t be Strictly…
When John Bercow bowed out as Speaker of the House of Commons last month – in the chamber, he listened uncomplainingly for just under three hours to MPs lavishly buttering him with praise – the attention of one newspaper diarist was drawn by rumours of the sight of a somewhat unlikely observer in the gallery. Who was this attentive fellow, and what was it that he was scribbling so assiduously in his notebook? Later, a name was supplied. Apparently, it was none other than the actor Tom Hollander, who may or may not be preparing to play the former Speaker on screen.
If Bercow the biopic is shortly to become a reality, Hollander will have his work cut out. It’s not only that he’ll have to get the voice right (at his best – or worst, depending on your point of view – Bercow sounds like Charles Laughton as Captain Bligh in the 1935 movie Mutiny on the Bounty). Actually, that’s the easy part (“Order, orr-duu-rrr!”). It’s the personality that’s trickier to catch. Crikey, but he’s a strange mix. Yes, as even he admits, he is pompous, irascible, long-winded, pig-headed and, at times, utterly irritating. But he’s also quick, warm, quite funny and, most surprisingly of all for a politician, capable of great, almost dazzling, honesty. In summary, all of his emotions are perilously close to the surface and you must be prepared for spillages, even as you struggle to follow his endlessly unspooling paragraphs. In 25 years, I’ve never interviewed someone more difficult to interrupt, or more prone to tears.
Continue reading...Former Speaker tells foreign media UK is better off as part of EU power bloc
Days after bowing out as Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow has described Brexit as the biggest mistake Britain has made since the second world war.
Bercow, who was persistently accused of bias by Brexit-backing MPs during his term as Speaker, gave a valedictory speech to the Foreign Press Association, revealing himself to be a remainer.
Continue reading...Commons debating fresh attempt by government for December ballot
The Labour MP Stephen Doughty says he has tabled an amendment to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote.
I have now tabled my simple and straightforward #VotesAt16 Amendment. Thanks to all colleagues who have signed. The Government have unfortunately tried to make it as difficult to table, select and vote on amendments as possible. pic.twitter.com/xzxkKoDv6n
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, is speaking now.
He says the SNP has been accused of trying to obstruct Brexit. “Guilty as charged,” he says.
Continue reading...Supporters of a second referendum may try to seize control of timetable next week
Rebel MPs are exploring ways to seize control of the agenda from Boris Johnson by allowing parliament to debate and vote on Brexit legislation and a second referendum possibly as soon as next week.
Several MPs told the Guardian this was a plan under consideration if Johnson persisted with his insistence that his withdrawal agreement bill was “paused” until MPs agree to an election on 12 December.
Continue reading...Speaker rules it would be ‘repetitive and disorderly’ for MPs to vote again on deal
Boris Johnson has been denied the opportunity to hold a second vote on his Brexit deal in the House of Commons after the Speaker, John Bercow, ruled that it would be “repetitive and disorderly”.
Bercow said it would break longstanding conventions for MPs to debate and vote on the agreement struck in Brussels last week, little more than two days after Saturday’s historic sitting.
Continue reading...Prime minister chooses not to attend Commons to answer urgent question on language he used last night
Here is more from what Boris Johnson told Conservative backbenchers at his private meeting with the 1922 Committee.
From my colleague Rowena Mason
Boris Johnson told MPs at 1922 that he would carry on using the phrase surrender bill but did say MPs must all be careful about using language of violence
Boris Johnson left the 1922 to shouts of “Will you apologise?” from journalists - he scuttled off with no comment
In 1922 meeting there was a sombre moment when @PennyMordaunt told MPs she was with @BorisJohnson in 2016 when news came through that Jo Cox had died. She said 'Boris's reaction was so human'.
"It was a moving moment in there," one Tory MP says.
Striking how few Tory MPs leaving 22 Committee with Boris after around 30 mins stopped to chat to reporters compared with the dying days of Theresa May’s premiership. Not many smiling faces either tbh.
Boris Johnson was described as ‘ebullient’ and ‘full of bonhomie’ by two walking out, others looked pretty sullen.
Jeremy Corbyn is speaking on this topic for Labour.
He says it is “extremely disappointing” that Boris Johnson is not here himself to answer the UQ.
Continue reading...A no-deal exit would trigger complex negotiations, argues former top DexEU civil servant
Claiming a no-deal Brexit represents a clean break with the European Union is “nonsensical”, according to Philip Rycroft, the former permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the EU.
Boris Johnson has promised to extricate the UK from the EU on 31 October “come what may” – and has hinted that he could try to get around legislation mandating him to request a Brexit delay.
Continue reading...Commons Speaker issues direct challenge to ministers threatening to ignore legislation
John Bercow has threatened Boris Johnson that he will be prepared to rip up the parliamentary rulebook to stop any illegal attempt by the prime minister to take the UK out of the EU without a deal on 31 October.
In a direct warning to No 10, the Speaker of the House of Commons said he is prepared to allow “additional procedural creativity” if necessary to allow parliament to block Johnson from ignoring the law.
Continue reading...Last day of parliament also sees prime minister forced to publish no-deal plans
Opposition MPs were holding up signs in parliament saying “silenced”.
“Silent acquiescence in the face of tyranny is no better than outright agreement.”#OurParliamentSilenced pic.twitter.com/DxlVXXWWjR
Bercow was loudly applauded by opposition MPs as he left the chamber. Labour MPs then chanted “shame on you!” to Conservatives as they exited.
Bercow being applauded by the Opposition. Labour MPs screaming “shame on you!” to ministers. These are absolutely extraordinary scenes.
Continue reading...The Speaker has enraged former Conservative colleagues by drifting to the left during his political career
With his announcement that he will stand down as Speaker by 31 October, John Bercow is ending a House of Commons career that has seen him move from the right of the Conservative party to become a darling of Labour MPs.
Standing at 170cm (5ft 6in), Bercow has become a favourite of satirists, developing a cult following abroad for his thunderous voice and the theatrical way he shouts “order”. He has variously been described as a “stupid, sanctimonious dwarf” (Conservative MP Simon Burns) to “one of the great Speakers” (Tom Watson, deputy leader of the Labour party).
Continue reading...Speaker insists House of Commons cannot be ‘shut down’ and will be heard
The House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow, has said he will “fight with every breath in my body” to stop Boris Johnson from proroguing parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit without the consent of MPs.
Related: No-deal Brexit would be a betrayal, says Philip Hammond
Continue reading...Jonathan Ashworth rebuts claim there is no time for an election to stop 31 October exit
Downing Street would be wrong to think it is too late for MPs to stop a no-deal Brexit, Labour has said.
The shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said on Sunday he did not accept a claim, attributed to Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s key adviser, that even if MPs were to pass a vote of no confidence in the prime minister in the autumn, the electoral timetable means any general election would not take place in time to stop the UK from leaving the EU on 31 October.
Continue reading...Exclusive: move likely to anger hardliners who fear Bercow wants to stop no-deal Brexit
John Bercow has said he plans to stay in his post as Speaker of the House of Commons despite previous expectations he was about to leave, risking the fury of hardline Eurosceptics who believe he wants to thwart a no-deal Brexit.
The Speaker told the Guardian it was not “sensible to vacate the chair” while there were major issues before parliament. And, amid growing indications that frontrunners for the Conservative leadership are willing to depart the EU without a deal, he warned candidates not to try to force such an outcome without the permission of MPs.
Continue reading...Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments, where third reading of the Cooper bill seeking a Brexit delay passed 313 to 312
I’m going to wrap up now.
Here the latest key developments at a glance:
The Leave.EU campaign seems to be rather cross:
The "Conservatives" who voted to block Brexit this evening.
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Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including reaction to the latest Commons Brexit votes and to Theresa May’s announcement that she will quit before next stage of negotiations with EU
Theresa May is now embarked on a new strategy to get her Brexit deal through the Commons. Her new strategy seems largely driven by the decision of John Bercow, the Speaker, to declare that he will rule out repeat votes on the same proposition (a ruling that he firmed up yesterday, and again today). The details of the new approach are complicated, and at this stage not all 100% clear, and some MPs are already questioning the legality of what she is trying to do. But this is what we know.
DUP to vote against government on withdrawal agreement
For avoidance of doubt, DUP will vote against agreement tomorrow, party source says
Continue reading...Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments, including the indicative votes debate as MPs choose from eight options
The Commons sitting has been suspended but, as my colleague Dan Sabbagh and others report, there is a bit of a row going on about the fact that the mace is still there.
Speaker has walked out suspending proceedings until the indicative votes are counted. But Tories are furiously pointing to the mace, still in its place, and trying to encourage deputy speaker Eleanor Laing to take the chair. Which would be a parliamentary take over...
The mace is still in place which I think is the cause of the uproar. It’s not meant to be there if we’re not sitting, but I don’t know if a brief suspension counts. It’s not normal for the Chamber to be occupied without anyone in the chair.
Speaker suspends sitting & vacates chair while we wait for results of this evening’s votes - as he had said he would do.
Tory MPs object that the mace is still there.
They object by trying to raise points of order to an empty chair.
What a total shambles of a parliament.
John Bercow, the Speaker, says he is not able to announce the results of the indicative votes ballot yet because they have not all been counted. But he says he hopes to be able to announce them soon.
So he suspends the house.
Continue reading...