New Speaker Lindsay Hoyle says Number 10 should not deny John Bercow a peerage
2 min read
Former House of Commons Speaker John Bercow should be given a peerage despite objections from Number 10, his successor has said.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle urged Downing Street to follow "custom and practice" and elevate Mr Bercow, who stepped down as Speaker at the end of October following a decade in the chair, to the House of Lords.
A long-established tradition has seen successive Speakers handed a seat in the upper chamber after they step down.
But it was reported earlier this year Mr Bercow was to be denied such an honour after months of wrangling with ministers over Brexit in a series of interventions seen by Downing Street to favour the Remain side of the EU debate.
However Sir Lindsay told the BBC that the tradition should be respected.
"My view is every Speaker has been offered a peerage, so custom and practice says that’s what’s always happened," he said.
"Personally, I think if that has always happened then we should continue with that."
And he added: "I think it should be offered to him. He has served the House, he served for ten years, he did some great things. And that’s what makes the difference."
Mr Bercow will meanwhile use his own 'Alternative Christmas Message' recorded for Channel 4 to call for more "personal courtesy" in politics following years of rancorous debate over Brexit.
The ex-Speaker will say: "I passionately support parliamentary democracy. For all the criticism and abuse lobbed at MPs, I'm still a cheerleader for them."
And, appearing in a classroom at his children's school, will urge politicians to "take inspiration from young people" and "try to re-establish a civility of discourse".
He will add: "This Christmas, I urge that political difference, personal courtesy should become our guiding lights in 2020, in the Commons, in our workplaces and in our homes."
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
