A friend (of a friend, etc) has just sent me a telegram that says the worst-case scenario has half the Cabinet out on their ear and Labour with a majority.
A new anti-Brexit speaker can now be chosen even if the Conservatives stand in Buckingham
Bercow's problem is not that he has been pro or anti Brexit nor that he has been pro or anti Tory/Labour. It has been that he has both politicized and personalised the position and has acted as if he was making the rules rather than interpreting them. Over-ruling the advice of the Clerks and decrying precedent were just two examples out of many.
Bercow's problem is he championed backbenchers against the government.
Which has been wonderful for reasserting the strength of Parliament
The House of Commons can't find the collective brains to vote for a Brexit deal that prevents the country self-destructing, but it CAN find half an hour to indulgently love itself, like some bonkers Madagascan queen ordering her handsome servants to cut her pubic hair with their teeth
I'd agree that Bercow has been both a very good and very bad Speaker.
The precedent thing - particularly in the circumstances of the last twelve months - has been a bit overdone. Unprecedented circumstances sometime require an unprecedented response. And if he had been flouting Parliament's wishes (as opposed to those of a minority government) they could have simply got rid.
The House of Commons can't find the collective brains to vote for a Brexit deal that prevents the country self-destructing, but it CAN find half an hour to indulgently love itself, like some bonkers Madagascan queen ordering her handsome servants to cut her pubic hair with their teeth
Yeah. I don't have the problem with Bercow that some do, but a big part of me is like "get on with it.. there's work to be done this afternoon"!
The House of Commons can't find the collective brains to vote for a Brexit deal that prevents the country self-destructing, but it CAN find half an hour to indulgently love itself, like some bonkers Madagascan queen ordering her handsome servants to cut her pubic hair with their teeth
I assume none of this polling takes into account the likely effect of Independent Conservative candidates in a number of Tory seats, a number of them sitting MPs.
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
A wonderful speaker who stopped the Tory lunatics from driving the country over a cliff .
Seconded. A true champion of the backbenchers. Even until his last day, 31st Oct. he is ensuring that he will be replaced by another Backbencher's Speaker.
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
I don't know why Bercow is doing this. He seemed absolutely committed to Remain, and was a hugely valuable ally for the Remainers. It's V likely that Brexit will be unsolved by Oct 31.
The House of Commons can't find the collective brains to vote for a Brexit deal that prevents the country self-destructing, but it CAN find half an hour to indulgently love itself, like some bonkers Madagascan queen ordering her handsome servants to cut her pubic hair with their teeth
A wonderful speaker who stopped the Tory lunatics from driving the country over a cliff .
Seconded. A true champion of the backbenchers. Even until his last day, 31st Oct. he is ensuring that he will be replaced by another Backbencher's Speaker.
A wonderful speaker who stopped the Tory lunatics from driving the country over a cliff .
Seconded. A true champion of the backbenchers. Even until his last day, 31st Oct. he is ensuring that he will be replaced by another Backbencher's Speaker.
Is "Backbencher's Speaker" just the new name for a belligerent, biased Remainer?
What we need is an impartial speaker, not someone more partial to certain people and views in the House than others.
Someone who recognises that he/she is not bigger than the office he/she holds. Bring back the wig!
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
I don't know why Bercow is doing this. He seemed absolutely committed to Remain, and was a hugely valuable ally for the Remainers. It's V likely that Brexit will be unsolved by Oct 31.
So.... why is he stepping down?
So that the House of Remainers can pick another Remainer to replace him before an election that might result in a Leave victory and a Leave Speaker.
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
I don't know why Bercow is doing this. He seemed absolutely committed to Remain, and was a hugely valuable ally for the Remainers. It's V likely that Brexit will be unsolved by Oct 31.
So.... why is he stepping down?
Because then the next speaker will be chosen by this Commons and not a new one after a GE .
Anyway I think he’s done as much as he could to stop the lunatics in the Tory party.
A wonderful speaker who stopped the Tory lunatics from driving the country over a cliff .
Seconded. A true champion of the backbenchers. Even until his last day, 31st Oct. he is ensuring that he will be replaced by another Backbencher's Speaker.
Is "Backbencher's Speaker" just the new name for a belligerent, biased Remainer?
What we need is an impartial speaker, not someone more partial to certain people and views in the House than others.
Someone who recognises that he is not bigger than the office he holds. Bring back the wig!
Bercow was cheered by the ERG when he blocked MV3.
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
I don't know why Bercow is doing this. He seemed absolutely committed to Remain, and was a hugely valuable ally for the Remainers. It's V likely that Brexit will be unsolved by Oct 31.
So.... why is he stepping down?
So that the House of Remainers can pick another Remainer to replace him before an election that might result in a Leave victory and a Leave Speaker.
The new Speaker will only last until a Leave victory in that scenario.
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
I don't know why Bercow is doing this. He seemed absolutely committed to Remain, and was a hugely valuable ally for the Remainers. It's V likely that Brexit will be unsolved by Oct 31.
So.... why is he stepping down?
So that the House of Remainers can pick another Remainer to replace him before an election that might result in a Leave victory and a Leave Speaker.
The new Speaker will only last until a Leave victory in that scenario.
Exactly. Moreover, any new Speaker will know this, and won't want to be sacked a few weeks after taking office, so they are going to be much less partisan than Bercow.
This is why Griece just publicly regretted Bercow's departure. Odd.
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
I don't know why Bercow is doing this. He seemed absolutely committed to Remain, and was a hugely valuable ally for the Remainers. It's V likely that Brexit will be unsolved by Oct 31.
So.... why is he stepping down?
I genuinely don't know why MPs do what they do any more. I know that many are clever and diligent and good people, and we can name many who fit that criteria, but when they get into the House they fail and do bad or stupid things. So I don't know, I'm afraid...
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
I don't know why Bercow is doing this. He seemed absolutely committed to Remain, and was a hugely valuable ally for the Remainers. It's V likely that Brexit will be unsolved by Oct 31.
So.... why is he stepping down?
I genuinely don't know why MPs do what they do any more. I know that many are clever and diligent and good people, and we can name many who fit that criteria, but when they get into the House they fail and do bad or stupid things. So I don't know, I'm afraid...
Off topic, I get kids should look smart but some of the stuff I'm seeing on school uniforms would make the HJ blush.
Unless your son wants to turn up with a couple of gold stud earrings, a gold rolex and *regulation* skirt and tights in which case he's perfectly free to do so...
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
I don't know why Bercow is doing this. He seemed absolutely committed to Remain, and was a hugely valuable ally for the Remainers. It's V likely that Brexit will be unsolved by Oct 31.
So.... why is he stepping down?
So that the House of Remainers can pick another Remainer to replace him before an election that might result in a Leave victory and a Leave Speaker.
Pesky voters electing MPs to thwart the will of those other, proper, voters who voted the correct way the year before
Interesting timing. Can't see Boris recommnding Bercow for a peerage.....
It doesn't have to be Boris who does the recommending. Additionally it would be another example of the Tories not being conservative and not following convention.
Bercow was the complete opposite of the previous speaker, Michael Martin, who almost never said anything of any note. But some people would have preferred that.
Bercow was the complete opposite of the previous speaker, Michael Martin, who almost never said anything of any note. But some people would have preferred that.
He'll go down in history as a forceful character who changed some things, and made friends and enemies along the way. I suspect he'll be happy with that summation.
Bercow was the complete opposite of the previous speaker, Michael Martin, who almost never said anything of any note. But some people would have preferred that.
He'll go down in history as a forceful character who changed some things, and made friends and enemies along the way. I suspect he'll be happy with that summation.
Do Speakers go down in history? - seems to me that it's a "5 minutes of fame" job and boy did Bercow milk it.
Is Bercow also calculating that the Tories would have less chance of winning back his seat in by-election circumstances compared to a general election?
Bercow was the complete opposite of the previous speaker, Michael Martin, who almost never said anything of any note. But some people would have preferred that.
He'll go down in history as a forceful character who changed some things, and made friends and enemies along the way. I suspect he'll be happy with that summation.
Do Speakers go down in history? - seems to me that it's a "5 minutes of fame" job and boy did Bercow milk it.
It depends if he permanently changes the balance of power between parliament and the executive - and that depends on how much of his approach his successor carries forward.
Arguably he'll also go down in history for raising the role of parliament during the Brexit process, even if his successor doesn't carry forward his approach with regard to the elevation of MP's questions and other things.
Bercow was the complete opposite of the previous speaker, Michael Martin, who almost never said anything of any note. But some people would have preferred that.
He'll go down in history as a forceful character who changed some things, and made friends and enemies along the way. I suspect he'll be happy with that summation.
Do Speakers go down in history? - seems to me that it's a "5 minutes of fame" job and boy did Bercow milk it.
Some do, some don't. I'd suggest largely the good ones don't. He will.
Bercow was the complete opposite of the previous speaker, Michael Martin, who almost never said anything of any note. But some people would have preferred that.
He'll go down in history as a forceful character who changed some things, and made friends and enemies along the way. I suspect he'll be happy with that summation.
Do Speakers go down in history? - seems to me that it's a "5 minutes of fame" job and boy did Bercow milk it.
Some do, some don't. I'd suggest largely the good ones don't. He will.
Good speakers keep order without encouraging disorder. Bercow wants to play lead
I'm sure people here will have points of view regarding the goodness or badness of the Speaker. My two cents is that doing this here, now is self-indulgent: stay until done, don't bugger off halfway thru.
I don't know why Bercow is doing this. He seemed absolutely committed to Remain, and was a hugely valuable ally for the Remainers. It's V likely that Brexit will be unsolved by Oct 31.
So.... why is he stepping down?
Because then the next speaker will be chosen by this Commons and not a new one after a GE .
Anyway I think he’s done as much as he could to stop the lunatics in the Tory party.
It is meaningless though as each Commons gets to.pick its Speaker. If so minded they could simply pick someone else.
Bercow was the complete opposite of the previous speaker, Michael Martin, who almost never said anything of any note. But some people would have preferred that.
He'll go down in history as a forceful character who changed some things, and made friends and enemies along the way. I suspect he'll be happy with that summation.
Do Speakers go down in history? - seems to me that it's a "5 minutes of fame" job and boy did Bercow milk it.
Some do, some don't. I'd suggest largely the good ones don't. He will.
I think both Bernard Wetherill and Betty Boothroyd will go down in history as good speakers.
Have I got this right - Bercow to stand down as Speaker on the 31st Oct so that he can be installed as PM at 22:59 and Revoke Brexit with 1 minute to spare?
Modesty, though, hasn't historically been a strong suit of Dan Hodges, either.
He's the only person who has blocked me on twitter after I reported him to the Press Complaints commission over an article he wrote that involved some... "private polling"
Comments
(We can all play this game)
A wonderful speaker who stopped the Tory lunatics from driving the country over a cliff .
The precedent thing - particularly in the circumstances of the last twelve months - has been a bit overdone. Unprecedented circumstances sometime require an unprecedented response.
And if he had been flouting Parliament's wishes (as opposed to those of a minority government) they could have simply got rid.
So.... why is he stepping down?
What we need is an impartial speaker, not someone more partial to certain people and views in the House than others.
Someone who recognises that he/she is not bigger than the office he/she holds. Bring back the wig!
Anyway I think he’s done as much as he could to stop the lunatics in the Tory party.
The House is about to be prorogued, with Brexit unresolved! SHUT UP AND DO SOMETHING
This is why Griece just publicly regretted Bercow's departure. Odd.
A man who enjoyed the sound of his own voice.
His very LOUD voice.
Which is what you need.
As a Speaker.
Unless your son wants to turn up with a couple of gold stud earrings, a gold rolex and *regulation* skirt and tights in which case he's perfectly free to do so...
The proof.
https://twitter.com/ExcelPope/status/1171080119676473344?s=20
Arguably he'll also go down in history for raising the role of parliament during the Brexit process, even if his successor doesn't carry forward his approach with regard to the elevation of MP's questions and other things.
https://twitter.com/wesstreeting/status/1171076339732013061
Not sure who the others are.
It'll make the Johnson premiership look like halycon days.
The next two... not so much.
https://twitter.com/IanDunt/status/1171078752924774400
He needs most seats, but providing he ensures Corby has to depend on SNP & PC & LD & Greens, Johnson should be fine.