Gary Gibbon
Where does the Hunt row leave the coalition?
Could the Lib Dem stance on Jeremy Hunt threaten cross-party cooperation when it comes to reform of the House of Lords?
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Gary Gibbon
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Gary Gibbon
Darling: Lloyds’ directors knew about secret loans
The Chancellor’s statement to the Commons has calmed down the secret bank loans story, although Alistair Darling was summoned to speak by an increasingly active Speaker.
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Gary Gibbon
Legg letters: Speaker couldn’t stop the ‘Hutton effect’
Ann Widdecombe was having a bit of a go at the Speaker, John Bercow, yesterday for rolling over and not standing up for MPs’ rights against Sir ThomasLegg. I’m told that Speaker Bercow twice tried to persuade Sir Thomas to drop the retrospective elements, constructing caps for spending on gardening and cleaning second homes when…
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Gary Gibbon
UKIP leader to challenge Speaker
Nigel Farage’s UKIP got 3 per cent to the Tories’ 57.4 per cent in Buckingham at the last general election but the UKIP MEP and party leader is going to give the seat a try anyway and take on the Speaker, John Bercow. Tradition has it that the main parties don’t challenge the Speaker at a general election so the…
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Gary Gibbon
Bercow backers: ‘grammar school boys, gays and Cameron-haters’
If you think all the Tories will quietly move on from the election of the Speaker, forgive and forget, think again. Feverish work has been going on amongst some front and backbenchers compiling a list of the “secret Bercow supporters” – MPs they think backed Bercow in the final round if not the second. They…
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Gary Gibbon
Speaker Bercow’s reforms will start at (second) home
Just back from the splendour of Speaker’s House state rooms where I’ve been interviewing John Bercow. It’s a bit like a doge’s palace in there. Speaker Bercow will be living in the less stately but pretty nice private accommodation upstairs, with his young family. There will have to be a few adaptations to the property.…
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Gary Gibbon
Bercow elected Speaker: MPs ‘getting it’, or prawn-filled curtains?
For many Labour MPs this was a last chance to get one over on Tories they feel are marching into government – a bit like sewing prawns in the curtains. Margaret Beckett was drafted in as a Stop Bercow candidate but even her supporters couldn’t resist putting one of David Cameron’s least favourite people on…
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Gary Gibbon
After the speeches, the voting for Speaker begins
General mood after the hustings in the chamber is that Sir George Young gave the best speech and may have nosed ahead. Margaret Beckett may be suffering from being seen as the whips’ candidate and her speech sounded like she would only go so far with reform – I will “facilitate desired reform,” she said.…
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Gary Gibbon
Richard Shepherd joins the Speaker contest – but can he stop Bercow?
Another candidate is about to enter the Speaker’s contest. Tory backbencher Richard Shepherd is throwing his hat in the ring. He is proposing that he should be interim Speaker. He thinks the new parliament, with potentially half the MPs new to the place, should get to choose whoever it wants. Labour MPs in big numbers…
