Bercow fights calls to quit over damning report on abuse at Westminster

0 Speaker John Bercow was told the fish rots from the head The Commons Speaker John Bercow has come under pressure to quit over an independent inquiry that laid bare the culture of bullying and sexual harassment at Westminster.

In an angry debate on Dame Laura Cox’s report yesterday, Mr Bercow was told the “fish rots from the head” as Labour and Conservative MPS accused each other of failing victims of workplace abuse.

A spokeswoman for the Speaker’s Office denied he had made any decision to stand down following reports that Mr Bercow had told friends he would quit next year, once the Brexit process had concluded.

The Speaker has said he wants complaints about bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct in the Commons to be investigated by an out- side body, but is facing pressure to stand down over his leadership on the issue, as well as allegations he bullied officials, which he denies.

Dame Laura, a High Court judge, revealed allegations from Westminster staff of being groped, propositioned and facing sexual comments about their appearance in an atmosphere fuelled by alcohol.

Her report found a culture of “deference, subservience, acquiescence and silence” had allowed the mistreatment of staff to continue. Dame Laura said it was “difficult to envisage” how reforms could be delivered under the current Commons administration.

Tory former minister Maria Miller, who chairs the women and equalities committee, said: “The report is clear that there needs to be a complete change in leadership at the most senior level, including you Mr Speaker, as chief officer.”

But Mr Bercow was defended by some Labour MPS who accused Tories of a plot to remove the Speaker ahead of crucial Brexit debates. Dame Margaret Beckett said: “The constitutional future of this country, the most important decision we’ve made in possibly hundreds of years - yes, it trumps bad behaviour.”