Outrage as Corbyn tries to make Bercow a Lord
ANGER was intensifying last night over Jeremy Corbyn’s plans to nominate former Commons Speaker John Bercow for a peerage.
Reports suggested the Labour leader had included the outspoken ex-parliamentary official on a list of recommendations for new members of the House of Lords.
Mr Corbyn is understood to have made the move to overturn Boris Johnson’s refusal to ennoble Mr Bercow, who repeatedly frustrated the progress of his Brexit plans.
But the bid has irritated the former Speaker’s foes at Westminster.
Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: “It is not surprising Corbyn has done this given the way Bercow pandered to the Opposition and abused his position as Speaker.”
Mr Bridgen called for a full investigation of “historic bullying allegations” made against Mr Bercow by Commons staff before any decision is taken about a parliamentary role.
Mr Corbyn’s list of potential new Labour peers is also said to include his former chief of staff Karie Murphy, former deputy leader Tom Watson and other five other Labour aides and trade unionists.
A Labour spokesman refused to comment on reports about the Labour leader’s nomination list.
Asked about the possibility of Mr Bercow becoming a peer, International Development Secretary Alok Sharma told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show: “I think that is a matter for the Labour Party.”
A nomination for Ms Murphy could also prove controversial given the inquiry into her role in alleged instances of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The Jewish Labour Movement said the nomination was “deeply inappropriate and must be rescinded immediately”.
Labour deputy leadership contender Rosena Allin-Khan told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “Hope Not Hate said that anyone who is being investigated by the EHRC shouldn’t be recommended for a peerage, so I think that does need to be taken seriously.”