Reply to: Speaker question

[The Wikir Man]

Why does the speaker have to be an elected MP anyway?

Under proportional representation, (s)he won't be

[Doggy Styles]

Isn't that a bit crap for the poor constituents who don't get a normal selection of parties to vote for?

Those poor constituents are nearly as blue as you can get.

An independent stood against Bercow on some sort of "democracy" ticket, and said he'd take all the Labour and LibDem votes. He got them, but still finished with less than half of Bercow's.

It's been going on for hundreds of years and nobody is much bothered about it. If they are a half-decent constituency MP, that is what matters.

[Gonzo]

Oh go on........ Do it in bite sized bits though.....

A bit like NF "Tales from the Bench".......

I don't think so. University students could write their dissertations on the topic and I am not going to do it for them.

The question surrounds the fact that when you elect your Member of Parliament you are selecting two distinct things:

1. Who represents your local interests in the bit of government that makes the law
2. Who you want to run the country on a day to day basis

Are these two completely compatible with the one vote?

There is a succinct explanation from the Philippines linky of what the question is, the only major difference is that their Head of State is a President not a Monarch.

[Drewster]

........one of the less satisfactory results of having the Executive consisting of people elected to the Legislature which I could go on about at length but which would not interest anyone else.

Oh go on........ Do it in bite sized bits though.....

A bit like NF "Tales from the Bench".......

[Gonzo]

Isn't that a bit crap for the poor constituents who don't get a normal selection of parties to vote for?

Intuitively it seems crap, but it actually does not matter because the Speaker does not vote in the House of Commons.

This is actually a better deal than for those people who live in an area that always returns a candidate that they don't vote for.

But it is one of the less satisfactory results of having the Executive consisting of people elected to the Legislature which I could go on about at length but which would not interest anyone else.

[VectraMan]

Bercow was never a "real" Tory (whatever that means)

Much was made in the media a while back that his wife is a Labourite (and also taller than him).

It is one of the more stupid parts of our stupid system that the people of Buckingham effectively don't get to vote. Why does the speaker have to be an elected MP anyway?

[d000hg]

By convention the other parties do not field candidates against the speaker. It is just in this election the UKIP bloke is opportunistically standing against him along with a few other cranks.

Isn't that a bit crap for the poor constituents who don't get a normal selection of parties to vote for?

[Tingles]

I remember in 1978/79 the Speaker voted with the Callaghan labour govt - when they had a wafer thin majority just before Thatcher swept all before her.

[The Wikir Man]

Although he only votes in the event of a tie (and will vote with the government in that scenario), he has a considerable amount of power in how he disciplines the members of the house and what motions etc. are allowed to be tabled.

Bercow was never a "real" Tory (whatever that means) - Cameron wanted George Young to get the job as he would be more friendly towards his former party than Bercow would be. Michael Martin was more friendly to certain members of the Labour party than to others (either within the party or outside it).

[Doggy Styles]

Given that the only choice the poor people have in that area is between a Tory Speaker, a UKIP guy who has unfortunate accidents in planes and some other odd balls I expect that the Tory will get voted back.

I actually think that its unacceptable for the other parties not to stand candidates there - what choice do the locals have? Another example of our undemocratic system.

As it happens the Speaker's constituency here is as blue as you can get.

There were about 10 other candidates, mostly independents, and I was glad to see the Monster Raving Loonies represented!

The Speaker turned up unannounced to vote for himself at the same time as me, so after exchanging pleasantries I couldn't bring myself to vote against him for the crack. Besides, he's been a good constituency MP for our neck of the woods.

Oh, and thanks for the answers, especially Gonzo, who reminded us he only performs a casting vote.

[lje]

Any idea what the current odds are?

Given that the only choice the poor people have in that area is between a Tory Speaker, a UKIP guy who has unfortunate accidents in planes and some other odd balls I expect that the Tory will get voted back.

I actually think that its unacceptable for the other parties not to stand candidates there - what choice do the locals have? Another example of our undemocratic system.

[Lockhouse]

You are right - the Speaker is elected by the House. However, the current speaker may or may not be elected back to the House of Commons today - as decided by the people in his constituency.

Any idea what the current odds are?

[lje]

The Speaker is elected by the House.

You are right - the Speaker is elected by the House. However, the current speaker may or may not be elected back to the House of Commons today - as decided by the people in his constituency.

[centurian]

Um - I feel I should point out that the speaker is actually a Tory. So if he is not elected it won't really reflect on Labour.

Electing the speaker is supposed to be completely non-partisan. That all went out the window in 1997 when Labour wanted to stamp their authority by putting a working class old-Labour man into the post.

Now you would have thought they would have learned their lesson when it came to electing his replacement...

So what did they do - elect a Tory enbroiled in the expenses scandal into the post, mostly due to the fact that the tories themselves couldn't stand him.

[Drewster]

Um - I feel I should point out that the speaker is actually a Tory. So if he is not elected it won't really reflect on Labour.

Ooooops! Sorry Drewster 100% wrong.....

Still - only about par for my postings!!