Hoyle replaces Bercow as Speaker

LONDON: British lawmakers elected Labour’s Lindsay Hoyle as Speaker yesterday to take on the role of refereeing the next parliamentary instalment of the protracted struggle over Brexit.

In the three years since Britain voted to leave the European Union, the Speaker has played an increasingly influential role in the process of parliamentarians debating Brexit and passing the laws needed to implement it.

The Speaker is the arbiter of procedural disputes in the House of Commons, and has the power to decide which challenges to the Government’s plans can proceed.

Former Speaker John Bercow, who stood down last week after 10 years, was accused of breaking convention and favouring those who wanted to stop the Government’s exit plans.

‘‘I will be neutral, I will be transparent,’’ Hoyle (62) told his colleagues.

Parliament had to make sure the ‘‘tarnish is polished away’’, he said, adding: ‘‘This House will change but it will change for the better.’’ — Reuters