The Speaker candidates - most of them – managed to turn up for a photo shoot just now at St Stephen’s Entrance. John Bercow was a little late and none of the others seemed keen to wait!
All 10 candidates got the necessary nominations so it could be a long night whittling down the list.
The Commons authorities have built a lot of “buffer time” into the timetable rather like the more unreliable train services – they don’t want headlines about chaos and delay.
So it could all happen a bit quicker than planned … but somewhere between 3.30 and 4.30pm the Commons will start its new-style secret ballot for the election of Speaker.
I wonder if it will also be the last? Secret ballots were brought in to spare MPs from the tyranny of the whips but in this election some seem more worried by the tyranny of the voters.
MPs look like voting in one of the candidates who is berating them least and who promises the least reform – Margaret Beckett or Sir George Young.
Either might make a very good Speaker but either should be prepared for a panning in the papers tomorrow if they win – today’s Sun and Mirror give a flavour of what they’re in for.
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It actually sounds like Bercow the Tory *might* make the most comprehensive and open reforms (and maybe it’s a good thing he’s too busy to make photoshoots?!). Sounds like it’s all sown up anyway
Margaret Beckett to be the new speaker, they must be joking. This woman appeard on Question Time last month, admitted spending £700 of our money on hanging baskets and without any sign of remorse and looking imperiously down her nose announced that she had done nothing wrong and would not pay our money back. Then she looked shocked when booed and heckled. Do they really expect up to believe that she will reform parliament. It’s like making a paedophile headmaster in a school. Just more window dressing when in reality the entire window needs to be put in.
What does it take to make these fools understand that this time the public are deadly serious in the desire for real change.
We’re in deep trouble but have not begun to think how the country might be better run. Does Parliament decide anything? Blair made up policy on his sofa, and no notes were taken. Will a different Speaker make things better? I doubt it. No one tells us how policy is decided and by whom.
Gary:
That is what happens when a Speaker retires and/or resigns from office….An election for a new speaker happens….
(Congrats to the new speaker)
~Dennis Junior~
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