London, UK – Sir Lindsay Hoyle has been re-elected as the Speaker of the House of Commons, continuing the role he began in 2019, succeeding John Bercow.
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Responsibilities of the Speaker
The Speaker of the House of Commons is a historically significant position, with duties evolving over centuries but remaining vital to parliamentary operations. The Speaker’s key responsibilities include:
- Moderating debates: Ensuring discussions in the House are conducted orderly.
- Selecting speakers: Deciding which MPs are allowed to speak during debates.
- Choosing amendments: Determining which legislative changes will be considered.
- Enforcing rules: Upholding the regulations of the House.
- Permitting urgent matters: Allowing MPs to raise urgent questions or conduct emergency debates.
- Casting votes in ties: Providing the deciding vote in case of a tie.
To remain impartial, the Speaker resigns from their political party upon appointment but continues to represent their constituents. Major political parties typically do not contest the Speaker’s seat in general elections during their term.
The Speaker collaborates closely with the Clerk of the House of Commons, who offers advice on procedural and constitutional issues. The Clerk is a neutral official, neither an MP nor a civil servant.
Election Process
The Speaker is elected through a secret ballot by MPs at the beginning of a new Parliament or following the previous Speaker’s departure. The process includes:
- Black Rod summoning MPs to the House of Lords to elect their Speaker.
- MPs returning to the House of Commons to vote, with the Mother or Father of the House (the longest-serving MP) temporarily presiding in the Speaker’s chair.
- If the current Speaker wishes to continue and has been re-elected as an MP, a secret ballot is unnecessary. They can be reappointed with the majority support of MPs.
- The newly elected Speaker, following tradition, pretends reluctance and is physically led to the Speaker’s chair by other MPs, a custom from when the role was dangerous.
- Later that day or the next, MPs return to the House of Lords where the Speaker-elect formally takes on the role.
If the current Speaker is not re-elected, a new secret ballot is held.
About Sir Lindsay Hoyle
Sir Lindsay Hoyle has served as Speaker since November 4, 2019. He was first elected as the Labour MP for Chorley, Lancashire, in 1997 and became deputy speaker in 2010. He was knighted in the 2018 New Year Honors.
Sir Lindsay is known for naming his pets after politicians, including cats Dennis and Patrick, dogs Gordon and Betty, a parrot named Boris, and a tortoise named Maggie. His father, Doug Hoyle, served as a Labour MP and later as a Labour Peer. Doug Hoyle retired from the House of Lords in 2023 and passed away in April 2024.
Removal of the Speaker
There is no formal mechanism to remove a Speaker from office. According to parliamentary rules, the Speaker remains in their role for the entire Parliament unless they resign or pass away. However, MPs can express dissatisfaction by submitting a motion against the Speaker, which the government can then allocate time to debate in the House.
Since World War II, only three such motions have been debated. One notable instance was in 2009 when Michael Martin resigned following criticism over his handling of the MPs’ expenses scandal.
Post-Tenure Traditions
Former Speakers are typically granted a life peerage in the House of Lords. Betty Boothroyd, the first female Speaker, served from 1992 to 2000 and spent over 20 years in the Lords until her death in 2023. John Bercow, who stepped down in 2019, did not receive a peerage, marking the first time in 230 years a Speaker was not nominated. Accusations of bullying played a role, though Bercow denied these claims, attributing them to the enemies he made during his tenure.
This summary provides an overview of the Speaker of the House of Commons’ duties and election process, as well as background information on the current Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
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