Bercow deputy bids to replace him as Speaker

JOHN BERCOW faced a fresh row last night after it emerged one of his deputies as Commons Speaker will bid to replace him.

Friends of Tory MP Eleanor Laing confirmed that she will stand for Mr Bercow’s job on a platform of restoring ‘impartiality’ to the Speaker’s chair when the beleaguered Mr Bercow stands down.

Mr Bercow faces the threat of a no-confidence motion after being accused of ‘trashing’ the Speaker’s reputation for political impartiality by launching an extraordinary attack on US President Donald Trump.

Tory critics also say the Speaker will face a public petition condemning his decision to say Trump should be banned from addressing Parliament because of his ‘sexism and racism’.

But sources say Mr Bercow has no intention of resigning.

One Laing ally said: ‘Eleanor truly believes in being an impartial Speaker and she has demonstrated that by the way she behaves when she chairs Commons proceedings.’

Others tipped to replace Mr Bercow include backbench Tory MPs Jacob Rees-Mogg and Charles Walker and Labour’s Lindsay Hoyle.