Advertisement

'Outrageous' for Bercow's Brexit role to trump bullying claims, says Amber Rudd

Former Home Secretary Amber Rudd - AFP
Former Home Secretary Amber Rudd - AFP

AMBER Rudd has hit out at Labour MPs who have backed John Bercow, saying it is “outrageous” to prioritise the Speaker’s Brexit role over the bullying claims against him as he was forced to give up chairmanship of the House of Commons Commission on harassment.

The former Home Secretary spoke out as the Speaker's spokesman said he would  no longer chair the meeting to discuss a damning report into Westminster's bullying culture. Dame Laura Cox's independent report warned that it would be "extremely difficult" for Mr Bercow to bring about the change required. 

Miss Rudd, a staunch Remainer, told The Sunday Telegraph: “I think it’s outrageous. What are Labour saying, that it is more important for him to handle Brexit and the constitutional implications than be held to account for bullying? That’s just wrong.”

It comes after Dame Margaret Beckett, the former acting leader of the party, and Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, cited Brexit as the reason why Mr Bercow should not quit, event though the former Conservative MP, who represents Buckingham, has been accused of bullying two of his former private secretaries. He denies the allegations.

Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow - Credit: HO/AFP
Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow Credit: HO/AFP

In the Commons last week, Tory MPs including Maria Miller, chairwoman of the women and equalities committee, told him that he should step down but Labour MPs queued up to defend him, with one party whip claiming that calling for Mr Bercow to quit was itself bullying.

On Wednesday, Mr Bercow refused to confirm reports he plans to stand down in June, after the UK leaves the EU on March 29.

Mr Bercow's impartiality over the issue of Brexit has been called into question by his long-term critics on the Conservative benches.

The pro-EU Speaker could play a pivotal role in the aftermath of the "meaningful vote" that MPs have been promised on any deal negotiated by Theresa May with the EU.

Should MPs reject the deal, Mr Bercow could be asked to decide whether a motion on what the government does next is amendable, potentially opening the door for the Commons to ask for negotiations to be extended or another referendum.

Asked last week whether Mr Bercow should step down over the bullying claims, Ms Thornberry said: "I think that this is absolutely not the time to be changing Speaker. We don't know, for example, with regard to Brexit, what is going to happen: whether there is going to be, technically, an amendable motion or not. Whether it will be the Speaker's discretion as to whether it is."

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry on the Andrew Marr Show - Credit: Jeff Overs/PA
Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry on the Andrew Marr Show Credit: Jeff Overs/PA

When asked if Brexit trumped allegations of abuse, Dame Margaret told the BBC: "Abuse is terrible, it shouldn't happen, it should be stopped, behaviour should change anyway whether the Speaker goes or not. But yes, if it comes to it, the constitutional future of this country, the most difficult decision we've made possibly for hundreds of years, yes it trumps bad behaviour."

A spokesperson for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "It's not Jeremy's view, and it's not the view of the Labour leadership."

Margaret Beckett at the Labour Party Conference in 1993 - Credit: Brian Smith/Brian Smith
Margaret Beckett at the Labour Party Conference in 1993 Credit: Brian Smith/Brian Smith

The Speaker had promised only serve nine years when he was first elected in 2009.

A spokeswoman for the Speaker's Office said: "In the spirit of his call in the House this week for independence, the Speaker believes that when the House of Commons Commission discusses these particular matters, the chair should be taken by Jane McCall, the more senior independent member of it.

"Ms McCall is not available on Monday, so the meeting has been rearranged for Wednesday, October 24."