Bercow’s delayed departure raises fears of Brexiteer MPs

JOHN BERCOW has decided to delay his departure from the House of Commons Speaker’s chair until the end of this year, raising Brexiteers’ fears he could try to disrupt the Brexit process again.

MPs say Mr Bercow has privately made it clear to his team that he wants to carry on until Christmas. Last year, it he reportedly “told friends” that he intended to stand down this summer.

His local newspaper, The Buckingham and Winslow Advertiser, reported in April that he had said he would not stay on as Speaker “much longer”.

He was quoted as saying: “If Theresa May can take a few weeks to change her mind about holding an election I can be forgiven for taking a few years to change my mind about staying on.”

The comments at a quiz event run by Buckingham University were the first time he has commented on his future.

Mr Bercow had previously been expected to quit last summer, because when he was appointed in June 2009 he said he would stay on as Speaker for nine years to June 2018.

His time as Speaker has been badly tarnished by allegations of bullying – which he denies – and by claims from Tories that he has allowed his pro-Remain views to affect his decisions.

A growing list of MPs – including Mr Bercow’s highly regarded deputies Lindsay Hoyle and Eleanor Laing – are considering standing to replace him when he stands down.

Other candidates could include Sir Edward Leigh, the veteran Tory MP, Pete Wishart, of the SNP, and Labour’s Chris Bryant and Harriet Harman.

Sir Edward said in a statement: “I would be a traditional Speaker who does not speak much. I would be rigidly impartial.”

A spokesman for Mr Bercow said: “The Speaker was elected by the House in 2017 for the course of the Parliament.

“In the event he has anything to say on his future plans, he will make an announcement to the House first.”

A candidate for Speaker must be nominated by 12 MPs and any election would be presided over by the father of the house, Ken Clarke.

Secret ballots are used in a contested election. If no candidate wins a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is knocked out.