Speaker of the House of Commons
An election for a new Speaker of the House of Commons was held on Monday 4 November following John Bercow’s last day as Speaker on Thursday 31 October 2019.
Should candidates be asked to undergo an “impartiality” test ?
The position was contested by 7 Candidates as follows:
- Chris Bryant
- Harriet Harman
- Meg Hillier
- Sir Lindsay Hoyle
- Dame Eleanor Laing
- Sir Edward Leigh
- Dame Rosie Winterton
The election started at 14:30 with statements from each candidate followed by the voting process which completed at 20:30
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Deputy Speaker, Chair of Ways and Means, and Labour MP for Chorley was elected by MPs as the next Speaker following four rounds of voting.
| Candidate | 1st Ballot | 2nd Ballot | 3rd Ballot | 4th Ballot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Lindsay Hoyle | 211 | 244 | 267 | 325 |
| Chris Bryant | 98 | 120 | 169 | 213 |
| Dame Eleanor Laing | 113 | 122 | 127 | - |
| Harriet Harman | 72 | 59 | - | - |
| Dame Rosie Winterton | 46 | 30 | - | - |
| Sir Edward Leigh | 12 | - | - | - |
| Meg Hillier | 10 | - | - | - |
On being appointed as Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle said:
It is a true honour to be elected as 158th Speaker of the House of Commons.
As an impartial, fair and independent Chair, I intend to maintain public trust in this most vital of institutions.
I believe that MPs provide an essential service and I will make sure they are properly supported in this challenging role.
Equally, I will ensure that parliamentary debate is often robust but always respectful.
Of course, the honour of becoming Speaker will never surpass the honour of representing the wonderful constituency of Chorley in the County Palatine of Lancashire, and my commitment to my constituents will not change.
