PEOPLE EVENTS

THE SPEAKER OF THE PLACES 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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House of Commons Information Office House of Lords Information Office T: 020 7219 4272 E: [email protected] T: 020 7219 3107 E: [email protected] House of Commons Information Office, House of Lords Information Office, House of Commons, Westminster, House of Lords, Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA London, SW1A 0PW © Parliamentary Copyright November 2012