Entertainment

What exactly is the Speaker and why are John Bercow's comments so controversial?

What exactly is the Speaker and why are John Bercow's comments so controversial?
What exactly is the Speaker and why are John Bercow's comments so controversial? What exactly is the Speaker and why are John Bercow's comments so controversial?

John Bercow’s insistence that Donald Trump should not be allowed to address Parliament during his state visit has reignited the controversy over the invitation to the US President.

The Speaker has come under fire during his tenure for what some see as a lack of impartiality.

We took a closer look at what the role of Speaker of Commons is all about.

What does the role entail?

(PA)

The Commons Speaker has wide-ranging powers over MPs, but is meant to remain politically neutral at all times.

The main duties are to keep order in the chamber and call MPs to address the Commons.

They can also direct an MP to withdraw remarks, suspend the sitting of the House due to serious disorder, and suspend individual MPs who are disobedient.

Speakers can still deal with constituency matters, and stand in a general election, but they do not campaign for votes, and the major parties tend not to field candidates against them.

The Speaker also represents the Commons to the Queen and the House of Lords, and chairs the House of Commons Commission.

How does someone become the Speaker?

(Dan Kitwood/PA)

The House of Commons must elect a Speaker with each new parliamentary term, after a general election.

An exhaustive secret ballot system was introduced in 2009, whereby hopeful candidates must be nominated by at least twelve MPs, including three from a member of a party different to theirs.

Then MPs are given a list of successful candidates to choose, marking an x next to their preferred choice.

A candidate must receive at least 50% of the votes to be able to take the role, though if no majority is reached, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated from the running and MPs have to vote for their favourite all over again.

When was the role introduced?

(Yui Mok/PA)

The speakership under its current title was founded in 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role.

For hundreds of years the Speaker has presided over the House of Commons and those taking on the prestigious role have each carried it out differently.

The Speaker traditionally maintains neutrality between parties, not least to avoid suggestions of bias when he or she chairs parliamentary debates – but John Bercow, who has been Speaker since 2009, has come under fire during his tenure for what some see as a lack of impartiality.