Knighted, Tory who blocked bully probe

A TORY MP who blocked an investigation into claims John Bercow bullied staff did so after receiving a knighthood six months ago thanks to the Commons Speaker, it can be revealed today.

An official probe into the allegations against Mr Bercow was prevented from taking place last month after Sir Christopher Chope cast the deciding vote to stop it at a meeting of the Commons Committee on Standards.

Now the Daily Mail can reveal the former Tory minister made his decision after he was knighted in the 2018 New Year’s Honours list, having been nominated by Mr Bercow.

It is not known whether Sir Christopher knows who put him forward for a knighthood.

The revelation comes days after the MP for Christchurch made headlines after single-handedly blocking government-backed plans to make ‘upskirting’ a criminal offence.

It will also reignite the row over Mr Bercow’s conduct just one day before the date he promised to step down. When Mr Bercow was elected Speaker in 2009, he pledged in his manifesto to stay in the role for no longer than nine years. That deadline comes up tomorrow on June 22.

But before last year’s general election, Mr Bercow announced that he had changed his mind and planned to serve for a further five years.

Mr Bercow has faced calls from some MPs to stick to his original promise amid a series of allegations about his behaviour towards Commons staff.

But last month he escaped a potentially embarrassing official inquiry into the claims after MPs on the Commons Standards Committee voted three-two against allowing Parliament’s watchdog to investigate the claims.

Mr Bercow has emphatically denied allegations that he bullied two former private secretaries.