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Hate, revenge and grudges spilled over in the race to succeed Michael Martin less than 48 hours after the Speaker announced his departure.
Former minister Frank Field admitted that so many of his fellow Labour MPs dislike him that they may stop him becoming Speaker. And many Labour MPs, out to avenge the toppling of Mr Martin, were quick to back Tory John Bercow, partly because he is held in contempt by many Conservative MPs.
Writing on his blog, Mr Field recognised the potential widespread opposition to him in his party. “I have been asked whether I will throw my hat into the ring. I am thinking about that as I accept that there may be too many colleagues on my own side who would block any such possibility,” he said. However, the Birkenhead MP appeared to appeal for support from beyond Westminster, which would put pressure on MPs to put aside rivalries and past differences in electing the new Speaker next month.
“The public will want their say in who they see as their Speaker,” he added. “Local newspapers are likely to run their own polls on who constituents would most favour. And this is likely to be the first election in Britain where the internet plays a key role.”
Mr Field will announce whether he will stand when MPs return from the Whitsun recess. Stressing that the next Speaker will be the most powerful in history, he pledged a “great reforming programme”, if he stands, which would include tackling sleaze, pushing for greater control for the Commons over its business and ensuring that MPs better represent their constituents. Mr
Bercow lost no time in getting his campaign out of the starting blocks, promising to fix Britain's “broken” Parliament.
He was reported to have won the backing of more than 100 MPs, many of them Labour.
However, one government whip laid bare the bitter “class war” battle ahead over selecting the next Speaker. “The Tories have tried to stuff us by taking down one of ours,” he said. “So we're going to stuff them by voting for someone they hate. But they can't complain. John Bercow is a Conservative MP, if only nominally.”
Mr Bercow stunned his colleagues with his political conversion from a hard-right Tory student activist to a leading reformer. One shadow Cabinet minister said: “The problem with John Bercow is that he discovered sex and New Labour at the same time.”
Mr Bercow, who drew up a report for Gordon Brown on children with learning disabilities, pledged a shake-up of the role of Speaker, including appearing on TV to speak up for MPs.
“We must make no mistake, Parliament is broken,” he said.
His other proposals include more power for MPs to scrutinise the Government and changes to how select committees are appointed. Tory grandee Sir George Young is a frontrunner, with former shadow home secretary David Davis being touted as a good candidate even though he has talked down the likelihood that he will stand.
Mr Martin will stand down as an MP when he quits as Speaker on 21 June. A number of Lords' members are opposing him being given a peerage.
Reader views (8)
The only MPs who should be considered for the Speaker vacancy, should be those who can demonstrate an absolutely clean record on their expense claims over the years they have been an MP. The new Speaker must have the utmost integrity and command the full respect from all fellow MPs in the House whatever their politics. They should also be a person of humility, calm, not self seeking, nor ambitious for personal power and gain and who won't have biased or unbalanced views, when topics are debated, they must be completely even handed. The MP who springs to mind who meets all of these qualities is Iain Duncan Smith who has claimed next to nothing in the last four years for second home or hotel expenses. He has the utmost integrity and of excellent good character and who is respected by all.
His detailed report on 'Breakdown Britain' proved the excellent work he is capable of and that he sincerely has the welfare of the nation at heart. He is in politics for what he can give not what he can take. (unlike so many others in the present Parliament who seem to be out from what they can get).
He is a man of humility with a clear speaking voice and also a good listener. He is the one who should be encouraged to stand and given full support across party lines from the whole House. He is the man to sort out this terrible mess and restore the publics confidence in Parliament and in the important office of Speaker of the House.
If doesn't stand then Frank Field is next best
- Simon Icke, Aston Clinton UK
DONT LIKE THE IDEA OF MR FIELD BECOMING SPEAKER BECAUSE IT WILL SILENCE THE ONLY INDEPENDENT VOICE IN PARLIAMENT .
- Alan Green, Woodford Green
It is unforgivingly destructive and utterly depressing to hear of Labour MPs indulging in "revenge" tactics. The Conservatives did not bring Speaker Martin down - there was plenty of Labour and Lib Dem opposition to him as well. If truth be known he brought himself down. Even now, after the awfulness of the past few weeks, can Labour not, for once, think of the country before party. Parliament will never recover moral or other authority if members continue to behave in this way. For what it is worth, I think Frank Field has the independence of spirit and intellectual authority to make a very good sSpeaker for these troubled times.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK
Well, if John Bercow is a candidate, why don't we have Dennis McShane aswell and be sure that the position of Speaker jumps from the frying pan into the fire.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire
Frank Field is a man of great moral stature - exactly what is needed to mend our wounded Parliament. Bercow would need an extra cushion!
- Paul, London UK
Typical labour not vote for the best person but for "someone they hate" Is there any more than 2 or 3 honest and competent Labour MP's(Hoey, Field), if so where.
- Douglas, London Uk
Where's the election? Surely we can't be expected to carry on with the present discredited lot for another year! Brown is bringing the whole Parliamentary system to its knees by carrying on with the present Parliament.
- Phil Jones, London UK
"...We will vote for someone they hate..."
They still don't get it, do they? What a pity that, at a time when public anger and disgust with parliamentary behaviour is at its absolute nadir, there are still those in the Labour Party who see representation of the electorate as a convenient cover for continued class warfare and a means to undermine the effectiveness of parliament further.
Whoever becomes the next Speaker may well hold the shortest tenure of any Speaker....there will be an election within 12 months and who's to say that the tradition of not contesting a Speaker's safe seat will continue?
With Bercow's expenses record, there is reasonable doubt as to whether he will even be an MP in a year's time.
- Sara, London, UK
