Election of Speaker

Jacob Rees-Mogg Excerpts

Monday 18th May 2015 Commons Chamber

[Jacob Rees-Mogg (North East Somerset) (Con)]

I beg to move, That the right hon. John Simon Bercow do take the Chair of this House as Speaker.

May I add my congratulations to you, Sir Gerald, on becoming Father of the House in succession to the much loved and highly regarded Sir Peter Tapsell? It is indeed a tribute to your long service to this nation that you now take the Chair of our proceedings.

It has been the habit of this House to continue with a Speaker who wishes to continue to serve, and that is for very important constitutional reasons. The Speaker is the champion of the House of Commons against all-comers—the champion of the Commons against the Lords and sometimes against the judges, but perhaps most particularly against the Executive. The historians here will know that some seven Speakers lost their heads for championing the Commons against the Executive—something that we hope is no longer necessary.

The connection between the Speaker and the Commons protects us and the rights of this House. If we were to be light in changing our Speaker, we would find that the Speaker spent the whole time paying regard to what the Front Bench on one side or the other were thinking as to how he should rule, lest he should not continue in office after a general election. The last time that happened was in 1835, when Charles Manners-Sutton was booted out by the Whigs for being too much of a Tory. I am glad to say that there are not very many Whigs left to behave in that way.

I want to move on from the general constitutional principle to the right hon. Member for Buckingham and why I think he is so well suited to continue as Speaker. A Speaker has to have a good knowledge of “Erskine May”. Some new, show-off Back Benchers may think that they know a bit about “Erskine May”. I occasionally thought that in the previous Parliament and went to the Speaker with some clever procedural strategy. He, with the wise advice of the Clerks, always knew it better, and that is essential to keeping order in this place.

A good Speaker must also be prompt with business. Who has not heard him say, “Short questions and short answers.”? That is the mantra of Question Time—[Interruption.] And speeches, though I quite like long speeches. [Laughter.] That has got our business through at Question Time and on statements, but the Speaker has also ensured that the Commons debated what it wanted to debate. The rise in the number of urgent questions has been hugely important in holding the Government to account, as has the selection of amendments on Report.

The Speaker also has the most phenomenal knowledge of Members, and the new Members will soon find that Mr Speaker knows not only their names but their date of birth and probably their weight when they were born—and will reveal all this when they rise to speak, for the entertainment of the rest of the House.

My right hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham has a reputation as a moderniser—a word that I use with some caution. In spite of my prejudices, it is important that this House looks beyond its own confines to the country at large. What he has done in terms of education has been very important—bringing school- children into this place and making it more available. But there is some hope—I hope that I am not being indiscreet in telling the House—because his son Oliver took one look at a portrait of the Speaker that was being unveiled and asked, “Daddy, why aren’t you wearing a wig?” Mr Speaker gave an answer that had it come from a Minister would not have been deemed satisfactory, so young Oliver said, “I think you should wear a wig, Daddy.” I am with Mr Speaker’s son on this issue, but I think my chances of success are limited.

The key virtue of the right hon. Gentleman is that he is impartial in this House, but he is a partisan for the House of Commons. In here, we are all equal and judged by him equally and fairly, but outside he defends our rights, our traditions and our liberties, and that is how it should be.

Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 1A), That John Bercow do take the Chair of this House as Speaker.

Question agreed to.

Sir Gerald Kaufman left the Chair, and John Bercow was conducted to the Chair by Sir Peter Bottomley and Valerie Vaz.

Mr Speaker-Elect (standing on the upper step) : May I begin by thanking the Father of the House for the supremely efficient manner in which he conducted our opening proceedings, and express the hope that new hon. Members, especially, will enjoy the company and benefit from the wisdom of Sir Gerald in the course of their first Parliament?

I thank the House for again bestowing upon me the greatest honour that it can confer upon any Member. I am intensely conscious of the responsibilities into which I again enter, and I shall do my best to discharge those responsibilities efficiently, effectively and fairly. Above all, I am conscious of the rights of Back Benchers and the need to facilitate Members in championing the causes dear to them and, from whichever side of the House they come, holding the Government of the day properly to account. Thank you.

The Speaker-Elect sat down in the Chair and the Mace was placed upon the Table.