Big shoes to fill as House Speaker Bercow’s successor elected by UK lawmakers
by RT
Big shoes to fill as House Speaker Bercow’s successor elected by UK lawmakers
UK MPs have voted Labour’s Lindsay Hoyle to be the new Speaker of the House of Commons, replacing John Bercow – the former iconic chair of parliamentary proceedings – in one of their final acts before the general election.
Bercow, who gained international notoriety during his tenure as speaker, will be a hard act to follow for Hoyle, considering the amount of feathers he’s ruffled in the chamber over the last 10 years.
Speakers must be politically impartial and so with the snap general election fast approaching, the new speaker – if elected by their constituents – will have to resign from their party before officially taking on the role.
During his last few years in office, Bercow was accused of bending parliamentary rules, such as giving pro-Remain MPs who were opposed to a ‘no-deal’ Brexit the chance to pass legislation blocking such an eventuality.
Conservatives were furious, and Business Secretary Angela Leadsom called Bercow’s move a “flagrant abuse” of the parliamentary process.
Holding the position since 2009, Bercow was the longest-serving speaker since the Second World War, calling “order!” over four parliaments and under four prime ministers.
The UK Parliament dissolves soon after midnight on Tuesday to make way for a five-week general election campaign. Bercow’s replacement will be required to be re-elected when a new government has taken power.
