PEOPLE EVENTS PLACES

THE SPEAKER OF THE

HOUSE OF COMMONS

A PERILOUS Who is the Speaker?

OFFICE
The position of
The Speaker is the highest authority in the House of
Speaker has not Commons, chairing debates, keeping order and calling
been without
danger in times
Members of Parliament (MPs) to speak. The Speaker also
gone by. Since the represents the Commons to the Sovereign and the House
appointment of
the first Speaker
of Lords, and chairs the House of Commons Commission.
in 1377, nine of
his successors are The Speaker is elected to the post by other MPs and is politically
known to have died impartial. When elected the Speaker resigns from their political party
violent deaths, of
which seven were
and remains separate from political issues, even in retirement.
beheaded.
The current Speaker is John Bercow, MP for Buckingham. He was
SPEAKER’S elected using a secret ballot system, the first time such a procedure
CONFERENCES has been used to elect a Speaker.
These conferences
are convened by
the Speaker on What does the Speaker do?
the invitation of During debates the Speaker If an MP misbehaves, the
the Prime Minister
keeps order in the House, Speaker can suspend them for
to examine issues
within the electoral ensures that its rules are kept and a day or ask the House for a
system. The most decides which MPs will speak. longer period. This is known
recent, in 2008/09 The Speaker also decides which as ‘Naming’ a Member. The
examined the
amendments to a motion or a Speaker can also suspend a
representation of
women, ethnic bill are debated. sitting in the case of serious
minorities and general disorder in the Chamber.
disabled people In the Chamber, if an MP alleges
in the House of
dishonourable behaviour by The Speaker usually sits in the
Commons.
another, the Speaker may Chamber for the first two hours
request that they withdraw their of each sitting day, for an hour
remark. each evening and occasionally
at other times. When the Speaker is not in This formal procession walks along the
the Chamber, debates are chaired by one Library Corridor, through the Lower
of three Deputy Speakers. Waiting Hall and Central and Members’
Lobbies to the Chamber.
The Speaker no longer wears the
traditional outfit of knee breeches, silk The present route was adopted during the
stockings and a full-bottomed wig. Second World War when the Commons
Instead, on normal sitting days, the used the House of Lords Chamber after
Speaker wears a suit and black robe. On their own was destroyed in a bombing
state occasions, the Speaker wears a black raid. It is still used in preference to the
satin damask robe trimmed with gold. shorter pre-war route as it allows visitors in
Central Lobby to witness the procession.
Speakers and general elections
The Speaker still stands in general Historically, the role of Speaker could
elections, but by convention, is unopposed be dangerous. This may be one reason
by the major political parties, who will not for the Speaker’s formal procession and
field a candidate. This includes the party entourage.
for which they were originally an MP.
Wider role
During a general election, the Speaker The Speaker acts as spokesman for the
does not campaign on any political issues House on ceremonial and formal occasions,
but simply stands as ‘the Speaker seeking including presenting addresses of
re-election’. As a sitting MP, the Speaker congratulation to the Queen on her Silver
has the same responsibilities to their Jubilee in 1977, Golden Jubilee in 2002,
constituents as any other MP. and Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

The Speaker’s procession Today these formal occasions are usually

Before every sitting of the House, the happy events but in past centuries a
Speaker leaves his official residence at the Speaker might have been called upon
Westminster Bridge end of the Palace of to deliver unpopular messages to the
Westminster preceded by a Doorkeeper Sovereign, for example, the reasons why
and the Serjeant at Arms who carries the Commons had disagreed to raising
the Mace. The Trainbearer, Chaplain and a tax for the royal revenues.
Speaker’s Secretary follow behind.

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