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| Candidates battle it out to replace Common Speaker Bercow | Candidates battle it out to replace Common Speaker Bercow |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The nine MPs vying to replace John Bercow as Commons Speaker have been quizzed by journalists at Westminster. | The nine MPs vying to replace John Bercow as Commons Speaker have been quizzed by journalists at Westminster. |
| Mr Bercow - who has held the office since 2009 - is standing down on 31 October, with MPs to elect his replacement on 4 November. | Mr Bercow - who has held the office since 2009 - is standing down on 31 October, with MPs to elect his replacement on 4 November. |
| Several Tory candidates accused Mr Bercow of being biased - something he has always denied. | Several Tory candidates accused Mr Bercow of being biased - something he has always denied. |
| One hopeful, deputy Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, suggested there was a drugs problem in Parliament. | One hopeful, deputy Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, suggested there was a drugs problem in Parliament. |
| Questioned on whether there was an issue with alcohol at Westminster, Mr Hoyle said: "It's not just drink we've got to catch out, there is a drug problem, and I genuinely believe that counselling and real support should be available for all staff and members." | Questioned on whether there was an issue with alcohol at Westminster, Mr Hoyle said: "It's not just drink we've got to catch out, there is a drug problem, and I genuinely believe that counselling and real support should be available for all staff and members." |
| Asked to clarify what he meant, he added: "I think, I believe there will be a drug problem - there is a drug problem right across this country. | Asked to clarify what he meant, he added: "I think, I believe there will be a drug problem - there is a drug problem right across this country. |
| "I don't believe that somebody who walks in here may not be tempted into drugs, and what I'm saying is that we should have health and wellbeing in place for drink and drug counselling and real support for anybody." | "I don't believe that somebody who walks in here may not be tempted into drugs, and what I'm saying is that we should have health and wellbeing in place for drink and drug counselling and real support for anybody." |
| All three deputy Speakers - Sir Lindsay, Dame Rosie Winterton and Dame Eleanor Laing - are taking part in the contest to replace Mr Bercow. | All three deputy Speakers - Sir Lindsay, Dame Rosie Winterton and Dame Eleanor Laing - are taking part in the contest to replace Mr Bercow. |
| 'Playground bully' | 'Playground bully' |
| The candidates were quizzed about impartiality, and what they would bring to the role, at the two-hour hustings event. | The candidates were quizzed about impartiality, and what they would bring to the role, at the two-hour hustings event. |
| Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh said Mr Bercow was "perceived by a large part of the nation not to be impartial". | Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh said Mr Bercow was "perceived by a large part of the nation not to be impartial". |
| He said the next Speaker needed to be "more in the mould" of Betty Boothroyd, the former Labour MP who held the position between 1992 and 2000, and who this week celebrated her 90th birthday. | He said the next Speaker needed to be "more in the mould" of Betty Boothroyd, the former Labour MP who held the position between 1992 and 2000, and who this week celebrated her 90th birthday. |
| His Conservative colleague, Shailesh Vara, said he believed Mr Bercow had "tarnished the role of Speaker with his biasness", and described him as a "verbal playground bully". | His Conservative colleague, Shailesh Vara, said he believed Mr Bercow had "tarnished the role of Speaker with his biasness", and described him as a "verbal playground bully". |
| He said he wanted to be the first Speaker from an ethnic minority, adding that it would send "a powerful message to every single child in this country - black, white, brown, boy, girl" that if "that bloke Vara can make it, then so can I". | He said he wanted to be the first Speaker from an ethnic minority, adding that it would send "a powerful message to every single child in this country - black, white, brown, boy, girl" that if "that bloke Vara can make it, then so can I". |
| Labour MP Harriet Harman said the role of Speaker was to be the "champion of Parliament in our parliamentary democracy", and electing a woman would show Parliament was "no longer an old boys' club". | Labour MP Harriet Harman said the role of Speaker was to be the "champion of Parliament in our parliamentary democracy", and electing a woman would show Parliament was "no longer an old boys' club". |
| The Speaker election was taking place at "a really critical and challenging time for Parliament" and there "needs to be a strong Speaker in the chair", she added. | The Speaker election was taking place at "a really critical and challenging time for Parliament" and there "needs to be a strong Speaker in the chair", she added. |
| Knee breeches | Knee breeches |
| The candidates vied with each other to deplore the chaotic scenes in the Commons that surrounded Mr Johnson's unlawful prorogation of Parliament. | |
| Labour's Meg Hillier said: "I think it was one of the most unedifying moments in our parliamentary history to have all that singing, shouting. It was very uncomfortable." | Labour's Meg Hillier said: "I think it was one of the most unedifying moments in our parliamentary history to have all that singing, shouting. It was very uncomfortable." |
| Labour's Chris Bryant said he hated the "chaos in the chamber", adding: "I didn't think that did us any favours." | Labour's Chris Bryant said he hated the "chaos in the chamber", adding: "I didn't think that did us any favours." |
| Asked about how he viewed the Speaker's role, he told journalists: "I think having an impartial Speaker is absolutely essential to the good functioning of our democracy." | Asked about how he viewed the Speaker's role, he told journalists: "I think having an impartial Speaker is absolutely essential to the good functioning of our democracy." |
| Conservative MP Sir Henry Bellingham said he would he would revert to wearing a wig, winged collar and knee breeches - the traditional Speaker's uniform last worn by Bernard Weatherill, who was in the Speaker's chair between 1983 and 1992. | Conservative MP Sir Henry Bellingham said he would he would revert to wearing a wig, winged collar and knee breeches - the traditional Speaker's uniform last worn by Bernard Weatherill, who was in the Speaker's chair between 1983 and 1992. |
| "I think we do have to keep modernising, but I also believe in traditional values," Sir Henry told the meeting. | "I think we do have to keep modernising, but I also believe in traditional values," Sir Henry told the meeting. |
| "The reason why High Court judges and judges wear wigs and gowns is because it is about the office they hold." | "The reason why High Court judges and judges wear wigs and gowns is because it is about the office they hold." |
| The nine candidates are: | The nine candidates are: |