Tories to oppose Bercow at next election
The Prime Minister will try to end John Bercow’s political career at the next election by standing a Conservative candidate against him.
In a declaration of war against the controversial Speaker, Tory HQ will put up a prospective MP in his Buckingham seat.
The move comes after Mr Bercow tore up Commons rules this week to allow backbenchers to seize control of the agenda and pass a law delaying Brexit.
Over the past two years he has repeatedly been accused of siding with proRemain MPs to try to undermine the Government.
A senior Conservative source told the Daily Mail that Mr Bercow, who was a Tory MP before becoming Speaker, had ‘long given up any pretence of impartiality’. They added: ‘The constituents of Buckingham shouldn’t be denied the opportunity to vote for a Conservative MP any longer.’
Ordinarily, the major political parties do not stand candidates against the Speaker, as the office is traditionally impartial. But backbench Tories have long accused Mr Bercow of bias. On
‘Given up pretence of impartiality’
Monday, officials at Conservative Campaign headquarters will email local associations informing them the Buckingham seat is open to applications. A shortlist will then be drawn up with activists in the safe home Counties seat, which has been held by Mr Bercow since 1997.
Up to four finalists will be voted on by party members to select the candidate.
Since becoming Speaker in 2009, Mr Bercow has not been challenged by the major parties. The last time he was challenged by Labour and the Lib Dems was in 2005, when he won an 18,000 majority.
But putting up a Tory candidate would leave him extremely vulnerable in a seat where 49 per cent backed Leave in the 2016 referendum.
Mr Bercow, who voted Remain, played havoc with Theresa May’s efforts to pass her Brexit deal. he was accused of ‘unilaterally changing the rules’ to allow Tory Remainers to take control of the Commons.
This week he mocked Boris Johnson over his ‘do or die’ pledge to make sure Britain leaves the EU on October 31. To applause from opposition MPs, he said he would continue to allow Parliament to take on the Government, ‘do or die’.