Reply to: New Speaker in House of Commons

[Churchill]

Though I suppose he may be able to string a comprehensible sentence together, unlike Gorbals Mick...

That's rather unfair, to paraphrase Eric Morecambe, "He is saying all the right words but not necessarily in the right order!".

[Cyberman]

What is so bad about Bercow BTW?

He is a Labourite dressed as a Tory. Memories of Bliar.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

At least the caravaning gardener did not win !!

What is so bad about Bercow BTW?

[Cyberman]

At least the caravaning gardener did not win !!

[Menelaus]

Bercow will be ineffectual.

The Tories hate him with a passion; Labour believe that they've got him in their pockets.

Come the revolution ...

[tonyblair]

It's John Bercow then. He'll be a fine speaker. Reminds me of myself.

[xoggoth]

Like Widdecombe too but would she be impartial on issues like abortion, genetic research etc?

[Cyberman]

The tories are just as bad....they wanted Frank Field before he announced he wouldn't stand last week largely because it would upset labour. More stupid playground games. None of these people are fit to govern - we should boot the whole lot out and start again.

Frank Field would have made the best candidate IMO as he is obviously a man of principle and has stood up to his own party in the past at the expense of his own promotion. If only Labour had adopted his welfare reform ideas, we would not be losing 500 Billion pounds a day.

[bogeyman]

We should probably have a Tory to stop them whinging. Can't stand Widdy though. She converted to RC because she didn't like the C of E giving women equal ops. Despite being well-known to be anti-foxhunting she isn't keen to stand up for that if it might embarras the party.
Incidentally, I disgagree with her on both counts.

Who's 'winging'? Would that be the electorate, or just the evil Tories?

No. We should have someone of integrity, experience and gravitas.

Unfortunately that rules out all of the candidates running, with Beckett and Bercow being the worst.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

We should probably have a Tory to stop them whinging. Can't stand Widdy though. She converted to RC because she didn't like the C of E giving women equal ops. Despite being well-known to be anti-foxhunting she isn't keen to stand up for that if it might embarras the party.
Incidentally, I disgagree with her on both counts.

[DodgyAgent]

I want Widdecombe also,

I've suddenly gone off her

[bogeyman]

Fair point, but traditionally that has been taken into account so that the Speaker is a longstanding member of parliament with a large majority, so their constituency is unlikely to vote them out anyway. But this mob have been ignoring the better traditions and reinforcing the stupid ones for the last 10 years, so expect to see horse-face in the chair.

Trough

Correct though. Parliamentary traditions mean nothing to NL if they don't fit in with the master plan.

[PM-Junkie]

I reckon if it is another NLite the Tories should front a candidate in whoevers seat it is. One break with tradition deserves another.

The tories are just as bad....they wanted Frank Field before he announced he wouldn't stand last week largely because it would upset labour. More stupid playground games. None of these people are fit to govern - we should boot the whole lot out and start again.

[The Lone Gunman]

I reckon if it is another NLite the Tories should front a candidate in whoevers seat it is. One break with tradition deserves another.

[PM-Junkie]

I believe that's a sort of long-standing informal agreement between the main parties but I don't think there's anything constitutionally to enforce it.

I think it's bad as it disenfranchises the speakers constituents.

Also, nothing could prevent an independent from standing in the speakers constituency.

Fair point, but traditionally that has been taken into account so that the Speaker is a longstanding member of parliament with a large majority, so their constituency is unlikely to vote them out anyway. But this mob have been ignoring the better traditions and reinforcing the stupid ones for the last 10 years, so expect to see horse-face in the chair.