Margaret Beckett throws her hat into the ring!

The race for the coveted role of Speaker is hotting up with Anne Widdecombe and Margaret Beckett throwing their names into the ring.  That means that we now have a growing race:  (alphabetical order)……

Margaret Beckett
John Bercow
Sir Patrick Cormack
Sir Alan Haselhurst
Sir George Young
Parmjit Dhanda
Sir Alan Beith
Sir Michael Lord
Sir Menzies Campbell
Ann Widdecombe
Frank Field
Richard Shepherd

Phew and others are expected to throw their hat into the ring….PLEASE DO!   Hustings for the position will be held on Monday with a new Speaker elected on 22 June, the day after Speaker Michael Martin steps down.

As readers of this blog know, TBB was very vocal early on in demanding the resignation of Speaker Martin.  He wore the fabled robes of the Speaker dishonourably and Parliament will best be shot of him.

In an ideal world, which it isn’t, I believe that Boris Johnson would be a phenomenal speaker.  Whilst a bumbler, he is super intelligent, radical, his own man and has a sense of humour.  But this is not an ideal world….

But looking at the options for Speaker, whilst better than the current incumbent, TBB is not that excited with what will potentially happen.  Given the politically divides across the House of Commons, certain candidates, despite being strong, will be tossed aside. The next Speaker of the House must command respect from all sides of the House.   TBB nailed his colours to the mast and supported Frank Field for the role.  He is bright, articulate, his own man.  But given recent events and him speaking out calling for Gordon Brown to resign for his inept performance, there is no chance of him gaining cross party support.  Gordon Brown is not a forgiving man and so Frank, despite being a favoured choice amongst the Opposition, is now dead in the water for Speaker.

The same can be said of John Bercow.  Once loved by the Tory Right, now a man who has ’seen the light’ and bent in the breeze and is more at home in New Labour than the modern Conservative Party.  Maybe at the election he will defect to New Labour?  Hence he is hated by Conservatives, (despite him getting Labour support), he will, as well, fall at the first hurdle.

Anne Widdecombe has thrown her name into the ring as a temporary Speaker.  She is happy to assume the role until the next election and then the new MP’s and the new Parliament can select its own Speaker, (and not be saddled by the choice of the previous House).  Great in theory but in practice, MP’s will want a permanent speaker chosen now and not wait for new MP’s, many of whom will have no Parliamentary knowledge and hence will be wet behind the ears when selecting a Speaker.  So despite Anne’s best intentions, she is screwed.  Maybe, if she decided to remain an MP she could be Speaker.  But staying in Parliament will get in the way of her many media appearances and her vastly more important media career. 

Most media commentators say that by convention that since Labour has has the last 2 speakers, it is time for a member of the Opposition.  So that removes the dreadful Margaret Beckett, (just sacked by Gordon Brown), and Parmjit Dhanda.  Let us not forget that Beckett got herself in trouble with the Fees Office after attempting to claim £600 for hanging baskets and pot plants!  How can she claim she wants to clean up Parliament when she was busy claiming for plants…hardly essential expenditure for the workings of an MP!

Getting a feel from Sky News and other political blogs, it is clear that Labour MP’s utterly attribute much of the blame of the downfall of Speaker Martin to Nick Clegg.  Hence Labour will most likely not, under any circumstance, support a Liberal Democrat choice.  So that strikes out Sir Menzies Cambell and Sir Alan Beith.  Wow that cuts the list of 12 down to 5.

And what an uninspiring choice is left.  I find it hard to support any as a strong choice.  So we are left with a number of Grandee’s.  People associated with the ‘old style’ politics.  Not reforming or known for their fresh thinking, necessary to clean up parliament the choice narrows. Fair or not, two current deputy Speakers should not be promoted. Sir Alan Haselhurst and Michael Lord have done a perfectly ok  job standing in for Michael Martin, but they have shown little sign of wanting to radically change the present system and do things in a different way.  Similarly, Sir Patrick Cormack, a respected Commons historian, is perhaps viewed as one who is too attached to the old Westminster methods and traditions.

Sir George Young has put forward a very sensible and impressive manifeto it has to be said.  He has of course run for the role before and was rejected as a choice then.  But now, despite his strong reformist credentials, he is characticterised as an Old Etonian baronet, (which he is!) So Sir george will struggle as a previous reject and someone that may not be seen as what is needed when the House is being accused of being old-fashioned and out of date/touch.

So, who’s left!.  Richard Shepherd.  Shepherd is a lovely bloke.  Got some sound ideas.  But TBB would question whether he would have a strong enough personality to control the chamber.

TBB has rejected all the options…..wow!  But to make a choice.

TBB loves Frank Field for Speaker.  That is clearly dead.  So….if Anne Widdecombe were to make it more permanent, TBB would support her.  If not….new candidates please…..the choice is poor.