Speaker Bercow ‘bullied his secretary’

COMMONS Speaker John Bercow is facing new damaging allegations that he bullied staff.

Former private secretary Angus Sinclair says Mr Bercow subjected him to angry outbursts, undermining, obscene language and mimicry.

Once, a mobile phone was smashed down in front of him, he told the BBC.

Mr Sinclair says he was paid £86,250 in 2010 and required to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Explaining why he had broken the order, he said: “It’s in the public interest to know why I left, yes, it breaks that non-disclosure agreement but it’s the truth. There was bullying.

Furious

“One afternoon… he came in and was absolutely furious – he asked for some information from another part of the House. It had been very slow coming. He knew that but he held me responsible.

“There was a tirade. A lot of bad language and suddenly his mobile phone was flung on the desk in front of me and broke into a lot of bits.”

Mr Sinclair, who served for 30 years in the Royal Navy, joined the House of Commons in 2005 as the private secretary to former Speaker Michael Martin.

Mr Sinclair’s successor had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Mr Bercow has denied bullying both his former private secretaries.