Heaven knows one shouldn't criticise a politician for being ambitious. But when Steve Richards said on the news just now that he had taken a call from John Bercow immediately after the 2005 election, asking for a meeting somewhere private, where he advised Richards that he wished to become Speaker, it became clear that Bercow's re-election as the member for Buckingham was not about representing his constituents at Westminster so much as representing himself on the greasy pole towards High Office.
You may say that the Speakership does not represent High Office, but an antique position of no real power; you may say that no one ever got to the Speaker's chair without planning and preparation; you may say that he is an improvement on the last Speaker. Nevertheless, his performance this evening, from the moment when, sat all agape on the Tory benches, he learned of his victory, to his poor, halting, somewhat smug and patronising victory speech, he struck me as less than credible. He speaks poorly, which is only forgivable if what is said is worthwhile - rather, he seemed clichéd and shallow.
The length of Bercow's first term is in the gift of Mandelson - when he withdraws support for Brown, an election will surely follow quickly. Bercow has until that election to convince Tories that he is worth his place, won as it was with the vote of the rump of the Labour party. But his Tory colleagues see him for what he is, which is a schemer and a greaser, and it is likely that the swathe of incoming Tory MPs at the next election will be broadly of like mind.
I decided against illustrating this post with a picture of the man.
Monday, 22 June 2009
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19 comments:
I met him some years ago. Memorably repulsive. Every time he spoke for more than ten seconds he would suddenly shift gear - got incredibly loquacious, adopted a Churchillian pose and began practising his oratory as if he were addressing the nation.
Truly vile.
Loathe as I am to even imagine supporting a labour pol but Frank Field was my choice.
In the hustings he claimed that the Speakers role was to be Ambassador for Parliament. Great. I guess that he was just getting us used to the idea that he and his bird will be flying all over the world first class at tax payers expense, like the last one.
I think we can rely on a few things, lil:
1. He will be ubiquitous
2. He will be expensive
3. He will be shameless
If any question, why Bercow ?
Tell them, 'twas Labour's final throw
I replied to you immediately at Guido's, Nick:
Upon the heads of disaffected Tories Labour shat
And upon the Speaker’s chair, that little greaser Bercow sat
he may prove a rich vein of Hogarthian humour, may he not Idle ?
I hope our laughter is not hollow, Nick.
He's clearly a dreadful little man. I can't understand any Tory voting for him.
I feel slightly silly as you're still here, Lils. Twas a bad day, I must have misunderstood.
Re Lilith's comment: An ambassador for parliament? Is he being sent abroad to lie for Nulab then? The voting would appear to indicate he is rather unpopular on the Tory benches.
It might be a good idea to take him at his word and send him to Vanuatu or Easter Island as ambassador for Her Majesty's Parliament.
Were we to send him to a nation of pygmies, he may get over his small man complex.
' ... send him to Vanuatu or Easter Island ... '
Number one son b'long mother of all parliaments perhaps?
PS: Good luck on Thursday.
Thanks, Wm.
No danger of Bercow being referred to as Long Pig in those parts. Good job, as he might have been offended.
He don't care what you little peoples think...one year in office, pension for life.
Simples.
Morning Idle, Farqs here....
As something of a punter I thought this might be of interest to you
1700: William Hill are quoting odds of 4/1 that new speaker John Bercow will lose the role following the General Election - and 9/1 that he loses his own seat.
"By tradition, the Speaker is usually able to stand unopposed in his constituency at a General Election, but it is quite possible that independent candidates may decide to stand against him," said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.
"And then there is the situation whereby Bercow seems to have been elected into office largely by Labour Party members, so the Conservatives may wish to change Speakers immediately after the next Election should they win, so he may well have only a short reign in the role."
Thanks, farqs. keep us posted on the odds if they shorten significantly.
Age and alcohol take their toll: I should have written 'number one piccaninny ... '
Re. Long Pig: Were I lost in the Andes with Bercow I'd avoid 'offending' him. My stomach is not strong enough for fat as rancid as that.
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