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General election: MPs choose new Speaker to replace John Bercow – live news | |
(30 minutes later) | |
Rolling coverage of the day’s political events as they happen, including 2019 general election campaigning and the election of the new Speaker | Rolling coverage of the day’s political events as they happen, including 2019 general election campaigning and the election of the new Speaker |
Sir Edward Leigh, a Conservative, is speaking now. | |
He says he would want to encourage backbenchers who are sincere in their beliefs. | |
He says he thinks the Speaker should submerge his personality into the job. He should be a servant of the house, he says. He says Winterton and Bryant were proposing the same idea in their speeches. | |
MPs should be proud of what the Commons has achieved in the last three years, he says. Every point of view has been aired, he says. | |
They should recreate the great debates in this place, he says. Everyone should get a fair crack of the whip, he says. | |
He says it is also important for MPs to maintain the building properly. He says the restoration can be down cheaply and efficiently. He says he does not support the need for Richmond House to be gutted to home a replacement chamber. | |
He urges MPs to hold the executive to account, and to be sincere in their beliefs. | |
The Labour MP Chris Bryant goes next. | |
He says he loves parliament. He says much good work goes on here that is not appreciated. MPs work together on campaigns that make a real difference, he says. | |
He says he wants to restore the rulebook. It is important for the Speaker to know it backwards, he says. He says he sleeps with Erskine May at his bedside. | |
He says as Speaker he would have no favourites. | |
He says he wants to get PMQs back to 30 minutes. | |
He would publish lists of speakers for debates, so that MPs know when they will be called, he says. | |
He says he wants to stop clapping in the chamber. | |
He ends by saying he just wants the chance to serve. | |
Dame Rosie Winterton, a deputy speaker, goes first. | |
She says she has been a chief whip (for Labour) and a deputy Speaker. | |
She says in every job she has done she has been conciliatory. | |
She says, as a Speaker from the north, she would show the House of Commons is open to all. And she says the last Speaker from the north (Betty Boothroyd) did a good job. | |
She says she does not like to see speakers at the end of debates being given just three minutes to finish speeches. She says urgent questions and PMQs should not be allowed to over-run. | |
(That marks a contrast with John Bercow, who regularly let UQs and PMQs run until everyone down to ask a question had had a go.) | |
She says he father was a headteacher. He was not seen as a disciplinarian. He was seen as “fair, encouraging and trusted”, she says. She says she would like to be the same as Speaker. She would “not seek the limelight”, but build trust. | |
In the Commons MPs have just started the debate to choose a new Speaker. | |
Ken Clarke, the father of the Commons, is chairing proceedings. He said all seven candidates would make a five-minute speech. He said he drew lots this morning to decide the order in which they would speak. | |
Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, has been speaking at at Westminster event where he is unveiling Brexit party election candidates. He says his party will not be standing aside for the Tories. | |
John Woodcock, who was elected as Labour MP for Barrow and Furness but who left the party last year, has announced that he won’t stand again for election because he and his partner, the Spectator journalist Isabel Hardman, are having a baby. He has children by his previous partner now living in Edinburgh and, as he explains in an open letter to his constituents, he thinks his new family circumstances would make continuing as an MP for a Cumbria seat impossible. | |
Woodcock strongly criticised Jeremy Corbyn’s handling of antisemitism allegations when he resigned from the Labour party, although at the time he was also facing a misconduct allegation himself. | |
In his letter Woodcock says he had been looking forward to defending his seat as an independent. But his chances of re-election would have been minimal. Independents very rarely win in UK parliamentary elections, and in 2017 Woodcock had a majority of just 209 over the Tories. | |
The number of deaths in Northern Ireland linked to paramilitary activity has increased year on year, a new report has found. | The number of deaths in Northern Ireland linked to paramilitary activity has increased year on year, a new report has found. |
The Independent Reporting Commission, which was set up to monitor progress on the peace process in the region, also says that Brexit could fuel further violence. | The Independent Reporting Commission, which was set up to monitor progress on the peace process in the region, also says that Brexit could fuel further violence. |
“The real issue about the dangers for peace in Northern Ireland, therefore, is not that Brexit itself could be the direct cause of a renewal of violence, but rather that it has the potential to add fuel to the fire of continued paramilitarism,” it said in its second annual report. | “The real issue about the dangers for peace in Northern Ireland, therefore, is not that Brexit itself could be the direct cause of a renewal of violence, but rather that it has the potential to add fuel to the fire of continued paramilitarism,” it said in its second annual report. |
It said that while the level of paramilitary violence over the last 10 years had reduced, it was “disturbing” to see three paramilitary-linked deaths in the year to 20 September including the murder of journalist Lyra McKee. | It said that while the level of paramilitary violence over the last 10 years had reduced, it was “disturbing” to see three paramilitary-linked deaths in the year to 20 September including the murder of journalist Lyra McKee. |
It found that loyalist paramilitaries were responsible for more assaults and republican paramilitaries were involved in more shootings. | It found that loyalist paramilitaries were responsible for more assaults and republican paramilitaries were involved in more shootings. |
There are 88 organised crime groups in Northern Ireland, 22 of which have paramilitary links, it says. | There are 88 organised crime groups in Northern Ireland, 22 of which have paramilitary links, it says. |
Jack Irvine, the veteran public relations specialist who has been taken on by the Brexit party for the election (see 12.25pm), has said he agrees with its criticisms of Boris Johnson’s deal “100%”. In a brief email exchange following news of his appointment, Irvine said the party had hired him on a Media House contract “but I will be working seven days a week” for it. | Jack Irvine, the veteran public relations specialist who has been taken on by the Brexit party for the election (see 12.25pm), has said he agrees with its criticisms of Boris Johnson’s deal “100%”. In a brief email exchange following news of his appointment, Irvine said the party had hired him on a Media House contract “but I will be working seven days a week” for it. |
Asked whether he endorsed its policies, he said: | Asked whether he endorsed its policies, he said: |
Plaid chose the same setting for its election campaign launch as it plumped for in 2017 – a hotel close to the Menai Bridge in north Wales. But the tone and message was very different. | Plaid chose the same setting for its election campaign launch as it plumped for in 2017 – a hotel close to the Menai Bridge in north Wales. But the tone and message was very different. |
Two years ago the slogan was “Defending Wales” - against what Plaid saw as the Tories’ indifference and the Labour-led Welsh government’s incompetence. Plaid’s ultimate goal – independence – hardly got a look-in. | Two years ago the slogan was “Defending Wales” - against what Plaid saw as the Tories’ indifference and the Labour-led Welsh government’s incompetence. Plaid’s ultimate goal – independence – hardly got a look-in. |
This time the new Plaid leader, Adam Price, who took over from Leanne Wood last year, went on the attack - and put independence front and centre. | This time the new Plaid leader, Adam Price, who took over from Leanne Wood last year, went on the attack - and put independence front and centre. |
He argued that this was the time for the people of Wales to find their voice and insist that they shape their future as an independent country within the EU. | He argued that this was the time for the people of Wales to find their voice and insist that they shape their future as an independent country within the EU. |
Plaid’s ambition for Wales to break away from the UK has been boosted by marches for independence in Wales that have attracted thousands. Its slogan this time round is: “Wales, it’s us.” | Plaid’s ambition for Wales to break away from the UK has been boosted by marches for independence in Wales that have attracted thousands. Its slogan this time round is: “Wales, it’s us.” |
Price’s speech was typically passionate and colourful. At one point he seemed to be pinching a sound bite from the Star Wars movies, speaking about “a new hope for all of us.” | Price’s speech was typically passionate and colourful. At one point he seemed to be pinching a sound bite from the Star Wars movies, speaking about “a new hope for all of us.” |
He also pointed out that 11 December [1282] was the day Wales lost its independence. This year 12 December could be the start of a new push back towards independence, he claimed. | He also pointed out that 11 December [1282] was the day Wales lost its independence. This year 12 December could be the start of a new push back towards independence, he claimed. |
The speech was full of aspiration – a green jobs revolution, better support for children who are in poverty, more affordable homes, a separate Welsh legal system. | The speech was full of aspiration – a green jobs revolution, better support for children who are in poverty, more affordable homes, a separate Welsh legal system. |
And there was also a reaching out from Plaid’s leader in Westminster, Liz Saville Roberts, towards voters who tend not to back the nationalists - including English people who live in Wales. “We are the party for Wales and everyone who lives there,” she said. “If Wales is in your heart we are the party for you.” | And there was also a reaching out from Plaid’s leader in Westminster, Liz Saville Roberts, towards voters who tend not to back the nationalists - including English people who live in Wales. “We are the party for Wales and everyone who lives there,” she said. “If Wales is in your heart we are the party for you.” |
Sinn Fein has announced it will not stand in three constituencies in Northern Ireland in a bid to prevent DUP MPs winning the seats. The party will stand aside in South Belfast, East Belfast and North Down. As the Press Association reports, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald urged supporters to instead back the SDLP, the Alliance party and independent unionist Lady Sylvia Hermon respectively in those three seats. | Sinn Fein has announced it will not stand in three constituencies in Northern Ireland in a bid to prevent DUP MPs winning the seats. The party will stand aside in South Belfast, East Belfast and North Down. As the Press Association reports, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald urged supporters to instead back the SDLP, the Alliance party and independent unionist Lady Sylvia Hermon respectively in those three seats. |
Announcing the move, McDonald said: | Announcing the move, McDonald said: |
What is novel, and striking, about today’s announcement is the plan for Sinn Fein to stand aside to help Lady Sylvia Hermon. Hermon now sits as an independent, but she is a unionist, she was first elected to parliament as an Ulster Unionist party MP and she is the widow of Sir Jack Hermon, a former chief constable of the RUC. | What is novel, and striking, about today’s announcement is the plan for Sinn Fein to stand aside to help Lady Sylvia Hermon. Hermon now sits as an independent, but she is a unionist, she was first elected to parliament as an Ulster Unionist party MP and she is the widow of Sir Jack Hermon, a former chief constable of the RUC. |
Karen Bradley, the former Northern Ireland secretary, was widely mocked last year when she admitted that, before she took on the job, she did not realise that nationalists in Northern Ireland don’t vote for unionists. “I didn’t understand things like when elections are fought, for example, in Northern Ireland – people who are nationalists don’t vote for unionist parties and vice versa,” she said. She was deemed ignorant because for years in Northern Ireland the unionist/nationalist divide has trumped everything. | Karen Bradley, the former Northern Ireland secretary, was widely mocked last year when she admitted that, before she took on the job, she did not realise that nationalists in Northern Ireland don’t vote for unionists. “I didn’t understand things like when elections are fought, for example, in Northern Ireland – people who are nationalists don’t vote for unionist parties and vice versa,” she said. She was deemed ignorant because for years in Northern Ireland the unionist/nationalist divide has trumped everything. |
But today’s announcement from Sinn Fein shows that in some parts of Northern Ireland (but not all - see my colleague Rory Carroll at 12.30pm) these rigidities are starting to crack. Asked if she was comfortable about asking Sinn Fein supporters to back a unionist in North Down, McDonald replied: | But today’s announcement from Sinn Fein shows that in some parts of Northern Ireland (but not all - see my colleague Rory Carroll at 12.30pm) these rigidities are starting to crack. Asked if she was comfortable about asking Sinn Fein supporters to back a unionist in North Down, McDonald replied: |
From my colleague Jennifer Rankin | From my colleague Jennifer Rankin |