Sir Lindsay Hoyle voted as new Commons Speaker in race to replace John Bercow

  • Video report by ITV News Correspondent Carl Dinnen

Sir Lindsay Hoyle has been elected as new Commons speaker - succeeding John Bercow who stands down after more than a decade.

Sir Lindsay, who was deputy speaker, garnered 325 votes in the run-off against Chris Bryant, who received 213.

He was dragged to the chair by Tory MP Nigel Evans and Labour's Caroline Flint. Sir Lindsay had been frontrunner from the first round.

He paid an emotional tribute to his late daughter, Natalie, in his acceptance speech.

Sir Lindsay also promised to be neutral and urged the House to regain its dignity.

"This House will change but it will change for the better," he said.

John Bercow stepped down as Speaker at the end of October. Credit: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor

He said: "I stand by what I said, I stand firm, that I hope this House will be once a great respected House, not just in here but across the world."

He added: "It's the envy and we've got to make sure that tarnish is polished away, that the respect and tolerance that we expect from everyone who works in here will be shown and we'll keep that in order."

Sir Lindsay saw off the challenge of Conservative Dame Eleanor Laing in the third round of voting, Labour's Harriet Harman withdrew from the contest.

Earlier casualties included Dame Rose Winterton following Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh and Labour's Meg Hillier in being eliminated in the first round of the contest after they received less than 5% of votes.

There had been nine hopefuls vying for the role of Speaker, but one MP dropped out the race hours ahead of the votes and one dropped out on Friday.

The other candidates are Labour MP Harriet Harman, Dame Rosie Winterton and Dame Eleanor Laing, who also both served as Mr Bercow’s deputies, Labour’s Meg Hillier and Chris Bryant (Rhondda), plus Conservative Sir Edward Leigh.

Tory Shailesh Vara dropped out after concluding he did not have the numbers to win the race and instead pledged support to Labour's Sir Lindsay.

Sir Henry Bellingham dropped out the race on Friday, claiming other MPs were "better placed" to gain cross-party support.

  • How does the selection process work?

The Speaker of the House of Commons has several roles including accompanying Black Rod to the House of Lords during a Queen's Speech ceremony. Credit: PA

Candidates must submit their written nominations between 9.30am and 10.30am on Monday, with their signed declaration needing to be supported by between 12 and 15 MPs.

The Commons met as normal at 2.30pm and each candidate gave a speech – the order decided by drawing lots.

A secret ballot among MPs will take place once the speeches have concluded.

MPs can only vote for one candidate and the result will be announced in the chamber.

Any candidate who receives more than 50% of the votes will be proposed to the House as Speaker, although MPs will be asked to vote again if no candidate meets the threshold.

Credit: PA Graphics

In the second round of voting, candidates who either came last or received fewer than 5% of the votes will not be on the ballot paper.

There is also a 10-minute period after each round for candidates to withdraw.

Ballots will continue until either one MP wins more than 50% of the votes or only one remains.

A motion is then put to the Commons proposing the winner as Speaker and they will take the chair if this is agreed. If not, a vote takes place.

Speeches of congratulation are expected to follow the votes.

  • Who are the candidates hoping to replace Bercow?

Nine MPs threw their hat into the ring to replace John Bercow: (Top L - R) Chris Bryant, Shailesh Vara, Harriet Harman, Meg Hilliers, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Rosie Winterton, Sir Henry Bellingham, Dame Eleanor Laing and Edward Leigh. Credit: PA

- Labour MP Chris Bryant

Chris Bryant is a Welsh Labour MP who has represented the Rhondda constituency since the 2001 general election.

He enjoyed perhaps his most senior role in government for a year between 2008 and 2009 when he was chosen to be then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown's deputy leader of the house of Commons.

When appealing to MPs for support, he asked the Commons for the "chance to serve" in the role as Speaker.

He told MPs he wants to "revitalise and stand up" for parliamentary democracy and "return to the rulebook, stitch it back together".

The MP said he wants Prime Minister's Questions to return to 30 minutes, call MPs relevant to a debate rather than because of some idea of seniority and to stop clapping in the chamber - to which some MPs applauded.

He also served Mr Brown as his under-secretary of state for Europe and Asia and under-secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs.

He is currently chairman of the House Finance Committee and his most senior role within Labour was when he served as shadow leader of the House of Commons until resigning on 26 June 2016.

- Labour MP Sir Linday Hoyle

Sir Lindsay Hoyle is one of the races frontrunners due to being John Bercow's deputy for almost ten years.

He was elected to be the representative for Chorley in 1997 and is the MP with the most experience in the House Speaker's chair.

The Labour MP has a majority of around 7,500 in his Lancashire constituency.

Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle (L) is the favourite to replace John Bercow. Credit: PA

He highlighted to MPs his experience as a deputy speaker for nine years and stressed the need to allow backbench MPs to hold those in power to account.

Sir Lindsay also vowed to push on with security reforms to keep MPs, their families, staff and the Commons safe.

He went on: "This chamber I believe is under-used and we ought to seriously look at how much more we can get out of this chamber."

- Labour MP Harriet Harman

Veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman is the longest standing female MP within the House of Commons - winning her the title of Mother of the House.

She's had a colourful Commons career and has held several Cabinet and shadow cabinet positions, with her most senior government role being Leader of the House of Commons.

Her most senior role within Labour was when she served as interim leader of the opposition before the election of Jeremy Corbyn.

Ms Harman said the election of the next Speaker is "really important" as the public's view of Parliament "is at an all-time low".

Harriet Harman is probably the Labour Party's most experienced female politician. Credit: PA

She said: "I would reform the Speaker's powers to make them transparent and accountable to this House. And I would be fearless in standing up for the rights of the House."

Ms Harman added: "Six hundred years, only ever one woman. There have been 156 men, and this is my question to the House today.

"Can we show the country we have changed by putting the second woman in that Speaker's chair?"

- Labour MP Dame Rosie Winterton

Dame Rosie Winterton has been the MP forDoncaster Central since being elected in 1997.

She too is currently one of the deputy speakers after being elected to the role in 2017.

The MP has had a prolific Parliamentary career, holding several roles within various governments.

She was the opposition chief whip for six years from October 2010, which was perhaps her most senior role within the Labour Party.

Dame Rosie told MPs she would "not seek the limelight, but build trust".

She said she was putting herself forward after 22 years of "diverse experience" from being a backbencher, Government minister, shadow leader of the House, chief whip and deputy speaker.

- Conservative MP Dame Eleanor Laing

Dame Eleanor Laing has been the Member of Parliament for Epping Forest since 1997.

In 2013 she was elected as a deputy speaker of the House of Commons, replacing Nigel Evans.

She has held various roles in shadow cabinets but not served as a senior member of the government.

Dame Eleanor told the Commons she wants to be a Speaker who stands up for MPs.

The Tory MP said she wants to end the "culture of bullying", adding: "There are times for continuity and there are times for change. This is the time for change. I want to be that change."

- Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh

Sir Edward Leigh was eliminated from the race after winning just 12 votes, less than 5%.

After being knocked out he told ITV News he hoped John Bercow's replacement would be "fair" and give all MPs an equal share of debate time.

He said he wants the new Speaker to be who is "different" from Mr Bercow, "less of a personality, who's calmer, who can unite the House".

Long-serving Tory Sir Edward has served Gainsborough, Lincolnshire since being elected in 1983.

The Eurosceptic first tried to become an MP almost ten years previously when he contested the Labour safe seat of Middlesbrough, but he lost.

Despite spending decades in the Commons, the backbencher has not held any major roles in government but did chair the Public Accounts Committee between 2001 and 2010.

Making his speech to be the next Speaker, Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh said having been on the backbenches for 33 of his 36 years in Parliament, he wants to "recreate the great debates" in the Commons.

"I believe that we should recreate the great debates in this place and allow adequate time and be fair to everybody, so that everybody gets a fair crack of the whip, literally to put their point of view," he said.

- Labour MP Meg Hillier - eliminated from the race

Meg Hillier was eliminated in the first round of votes after receiving just ten. Credit: PA

Ms Hillier was also elected in 2005, making her another newcomer in comparison.

She is the MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch and has been chair of the Public Accounts Committee since 2015.

In her constituency Ms Hillier has a huge majority of over 37,000.

When appealing to MPs for support she Hillier claimed "we need a culture shift" in the Commons.

She said: "We have to put our own House in order and call out bad behaviour where necessary but prevent it before it gets to that point."

Ms Hillier was eliminated from the race after winning just 10 votes, less than 5%.

- Conservative MP Shailesh Vara - dropped out the race

In comparison most of the others hoping to become speaker, Mr Vara, elected in 2005, was somewhat a newcomer to the Commons.

He is the MP for North West Cambridgeshire and has previously held the role of vice-chairman of the Conservative Party.

He has also held several roles in government and was most recently Northern Ireland minister - a role he held for less than a year in 2018.

He dropped out the race on Monday morning, saying he did not have the support to proceed.

"Grateful to many MPs across the House who pledged support for me to be the next Speaker," he tweeted.

"Sadly, I have concluded I don't have the numbers to win so as not to split the vote I am withdrawing from the contest and will support @LindsayHoyle--MP Thanks again to those who supported me."

- Conservative MP Sir Henry Bellingham - Dropped out the race

Sir Henry Bellingham, who was one of the outsiders to replace John Bercow, dropped out of the race on Friday, insisting others were "better placed" to gain cross-party support.

He said: "I have received a very significant number of pledges from many in our own party, I do believe there are others better placed than me to command that cross-party support."

Perhaps his most senior role in government was when he served as under-secretary of state for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs between 2010 and 2012.

  • 'I enjoyed my time as speaker, it was the best job in the world': The Commons' only female speaker on what the role needs now:

Betty Boothroyd, the only female to serve as Speaker of the House of Commons told ITV News she hopes John Bercow's replacement brings a "calmer period".

She says there has been a "lot of bitterness in the last few years", which she did not like. She wants the Commons to be "more of a workplace rather than a bitterness".

"I hope that we'll be calm and more dignified and more approachable in such a way," she said.

She told how her during her time as speaker there was "a bit of toing and froing and a giving and taking".

"I did most of the taking and they did most of the giving but it worked out," she said.