Bercow warned of strong reaction to vote revelation
JOHN BERCOW was facing the biggest challenge yet to his position as Commons Speaker as Tory MPs rounded on him for announcing that he voted Remain in the Brexit referendum.
Facing a vote of no confidence after a controversy-strewn tenure in the role, Tory MPs questioned how Mr Bercow could be seen as neutral during Parliamentary Brexit debates, while the Opposition rallied to his defence.
Leader of the Commons David Lidington warned there would be “strong” reaction to Mr Bercow’s latest outspoken move, as he insisted the Speaker must command the confidence of the whole House.
Mr Bercow was plunged into fresh controversy after a video emerged of him talking to students at Reading University on February 3 in which he said: “Personally, I voted to Remain. I thought it was better to stay in the European Union than not.”
After Mr Bercow drew fire from some for branding US President Donald Trump a “racist and sexist” as he effectively banned him from addressing Parliament during his state visit, a number of Tory MPs said his position as Speaker is no longer tenable when the Commons returns from recess on February 20.
Mr Lidington said: “There will be strong reaction among some MPs to what he said at Reading, particularly after what he said about the state visit earlier in the week. Ultimately, the Speaker has to command the confidence of the House of Commons as a whole.
“John has his very strong supporters as well as his strong critics in the House of Commons, but we shall have to see how members as a whole respond.”
Mr Bercow’s spokeswoman said that how the Speaker cast his ballot in the Brexit poll, or Strictly Come Dancing, had no impact on his ability to deal fairly with all MPs.
The spokeswoman said Mr Bercow’s record showed he was neutral in the chamber “irrespective of how he voted in a referendum, general – one would hope for himself – local, or Strictly Come Dancing”.
James Duddridge, who tabled the motion of no confidence in the Speaker over his Trump comments, insisted that the Speaker is is “no longer impartial”.
The parliamentary website states: “The Speaker is the chief officer and highest authority of the House of Commons and must remain politically impartial at all times.
John has his very strong supporters as well as his strong critics. David Lidington, Leader of the Commons.