Comments on: John Bercow

By: Simon Buckingham Constituent

Simon Buckingham Constituent — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:11:53 +0000

The Sunday Telegraph 28.06.2009 reveals more details of John Bercow’s £40,000 private income. Page 7 Quote by Patrick Sawer & Melissa Kite: ‘The new Commons Speaker was accused last night of profiting from his work as a government adviser on special educational needs. John Bercow was paid £40,000 by a health care firm which hired him after he wrote a report that led to a £52 million increase in special needs funding. The MP worked for six months for the Priory Group, which runs a number of special needs schools, giving advice about children who suffer from speech and language difficulties. He attended around five board meetings before he resigned from the post on becoming Speaker last week The payments declared by Mr Bercow in the Register of Members’ Interests will now raise questions about the propriety of MPs taking money from firms working in an area in which they have dealt directly in Parliament.
Tory opponents of Mr Berocow, who was voted in as Michael Martin’s replacement despite little support from his own party, said the disclosures cast fresh doubts on his suitability as Speaker. ” This calls into question his judgement. He appears to have profited from his work as Brown’s adviser”, said one MP.
Mr Bercow, once a member of the right-wing Monday Club but now on the left of his party, has also been criticised for “flipping” the designation of his second home, enabling him to avoid paying capital gains tax.’ Unquote.

By: Bazman

Bazman — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:41:28 +0000

Looks like he Plays for the opposition to me.

By: We must now hope that John Bercow will succeed | DodaPedia

We must now hope that John Bercow will succeed | DodaPedia — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:46:47 +0000

[...] Redwood gets it right on his blog this morning: "Conservatives now have to accept the result, and show respect to our new [...]

By: SJB

SJB — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:18:23 +0000

The Civil Service run the country, Tim.

By: Simon Buckingham Constituent

Simon Buckingham Constituent — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:01:29 +0000

So the man with seemingly few principles or deeply held convictions was elected. The man who changed his core beliefs and politics to suit his ambitions. How can someone change from being ultra right wing to ultra liberal overnight? What he calls his moment of ‘enlightenment’ or his political journey. Did he have Damascus Road experience? I don’t think so, more like the minute he realised he would have to court New Labour and Lib Dems. MPs favour, to achieve his ambition of becoming Speaker of the House. It is then he must have decided to do whatever it took to achieve his goal. Even if it meant being disloyal to his own party and its leaders and ‘greasing up’ to the opposition at every opportunity. In other words he was prepared to sell his soul for the ‘pot of gold’ he yearned for. Close observers of John Bercow knew this; especially his Tory colleagues. No wonder they had such solemn faces when the result was announced. Only when prompted by David Cameron did a few Tory MPs give a slow and weak hand-clap, the rest decided to keep their arms crossed or hands firmly on their laps. One Tory MP shouted, ‘Not in my name!’ As the labour benches enjoyed their moment of childish spite with their smiling faces knowing they had left their final lasting legacy, by achieving something with their ‘bloc vote’, that would hurt David Cameron and the Conservative Party when they get into power, long after this New Labour Government sinks beneath the waves; in their rotten and stinking ship.

Knowing John Bercow’s liberal views on abortion and hearing about his ridiculous amendment that he tabled for the third reading of the Embryology Bill last year, (which wasn’t heard in the end, due to a government guillotine on the bill) reflected his new ultra liberal views on moral issues. I therefore fear for the protection of unborn children in the UK; when the emotive issue is next debated in the House. I and many others will be watching for his promised fairness and impartiality on such issues. How will he stop himself from ridiculing people who disagree with him? Will he continue to use his old method of shutting down the debate, by personally attacking his opponents to undermine them? I and many others will be watching him very closely on important debates; especially on moral issues.

By: catosays

catosays — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:16:57 +0000

At least one can understand what Bercow is saying when he speaks..or should I say ‘squeaks’.

I don’t know for whom you voted John, and you won’t tell us, but the choice of Bercow was one in which every MP can hang his/her head in shame.

Not one of you guys get it, do you?

By: Hugh

Hugh — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:06:30 +0000

John, as usual thoughtful, informed and fair. Thank you.

If Bercow can make Brown answer questions properly and truthfully and not ask his own, he will change the terms of political debate for the better, and improve governance. If not Cameron should ensure that we get a new speaker in due course.

By: Matthew Reynolds

Matthew Reynolds — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:41:30 +0000

Well done John ! As ever a fair minded and logical piece of blogging from you. Mr Bercow will no doubt try his best and I doubt that he will be a biased Brown backing stooge. He knows that if he is then the Tory majority after the next general election will make a new Speaker its first aim. Therefore the newly elected Speaker will I am certain try to change things for the better and will work with the Party Leaders to bring this about – knowing that if he does not try to be unbiased then Cameron’s troops will act swiftly after the next general election.

I expect the Conservative bile against Bercow cemented the Labour desire to spite the Tories by electing Bercow as Speaker. As Theresa May might have said :’ Being the Nasty Party will not work.’

Bercow was a Cameron Conservative before the term was invented and as such was a man of vision. He is an instinctive reformer by securing consensus – he proved that by helping Brown with work over children’s policy. If he applies that logic by reaching out to the Conservatives by trying to strengthen &cleanse Parliament in the way that Mr Cameron wants then this Speakership can be a success.

For the sake of our system of government let us hope that Speaker Bercow can be a change maker in Parliament……

By: Chuck Unsworth

Chuck Unsworth — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:37:50 +0000

Well the question is: does he have enough courage to rule with complete impartiality?

I doubt it.

By: Mike Clarke

Mike Clarke — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:22:12 +0000

Balls was very prominent in his support for Bercow. Balls is Brown’s creature. QED!