John Bercow has joined Labour - wow

Well I said it didn’t I Pippa so I’m not surprised.

maddyone

Well I said it didn’t I Pippa so I’m not surprised.

Eh?

Having witnessed it in action, antisemitism was the over-riding reason I couldn’t vote Labour in the last election.

I am as puzzled by this now as I was post 2017 when the right wing media, badly scared by Labour doing so well in the 2017 GE, became the target of continual bile and dirt dishing.

Can anyone tell me WHY 'Labour' should be anti -semitic? Anti-semitism is not a thing that has been raised previously in my lifetime. All anti-racist movements seem to have emanated from the Left, there have been Jewish members of the Labour Party for decades. So, what was it that suddenly made people decide that the LP was institutionally anti-semitic?

And why does no-one bother about tory racism?

Well said LauraNorder! I also rarely contribute these days as the same few- usually Left supporters- lecture the rest of us who dare to side with the government.

Good news Bercow is now Labour.. another idiot added to the party…?

Surely the comments about the PMs appearance are usually that he could use a comb? Not quite the same as picking on features that can't be altered.

MaizieD

^Having witnessed it in action, antisemitism was the over-riding reason I couldn’t vote Labour in the last election.^

I am as puzzled by this now as I was post 2017 when the right wing media, badly scared by Labour doing so well in the 2017 GE, became the target of continual bile and dirt dishing.

Can anyone tell me WHY 'Labour' should be anti -semitic? Anti-semitism is not a thing that has been raised previously in my lifetime. All anti-racist movements seem to have emanated from the Left, there have been Jewish members of the Labour Party for decades. So, what was it that suddenly made people decide that the LP was institutionally anti-semitic?

And why does no-one bother about tory racism?

I assumed it was because of support for Palestinians, which equals anti Israel which equals anti semitism in some peoples minds.

Some Jewish people aren't happy with treatment of Palestinians but I don't think they are anti semitic.

As leader of the house during brexit, his job was to be impartial. He absolutely wasn’t.
Labour are welcome to him.

theworriedwell

Surely the comments about the PMs appearance are usually that he could use a comb? Not quite the same as picking on features that can't be altered.

People do remark adversely on his size and dress sense from time to time...

And then, of course, there are his extremely well documented little character defects....

I think you can say many things about Bercow Kiplet, but saying he’s an idiot is blatantly untrue when he could and did run rings round the majority of politicians of whatever political persuasion in his understanding of parliamentary rules, which was after all his job.

He was never leader of the house. He was the Speaker. It is the Speaker's job to ensure that MPs are able to hold the government to account and he did that job well.

IMO his successor Sir Lindsay Hoyle let's the government, especially the PM, get away with far too much.

I definitely think he's got his eye on No.10, but probably wants to oust Kier Starmer first. Bercow would enjoy being the opposition to Boris and he would certainly make his voice heard. IMO though, whilst most rats desert a sinking ship, I think this one will be running up the guy ropes.

Having read all the posts, I can see why the Tory party is still in power. People seem so blind to anything going wrong and it’s really the same Tory “am alright Jack” attitude.
So Yeah to John Bercow joining the Labour party

Jennyluck

As leader of the house during brexit, his job was to be impartial. He absolutely wasn’t.
Labour are welcome to him.

He wasn't leader of the house; that's a different job altogether.

The HOC's speaker's job is to defend the primacy of the House of Commons from government encroachment.

Under our constitution there are three arms of government, the Legislature, which scrutinises and passes laws, the Executive which makes policy and proposes laws and the judiciary which interprets those laws when cases based on them are brought to court.

The Executive represents the Crown in parliament but its power is restricted by the fact that Parliament, which is the Legislature, is supreme. Parliament (i.e all MPS, regardless of party) is able to use its vote to dismiss any legislation the Executive proposes. The Executive cannot prevent it from doing that.

Naturally the Executive tries all it can to get its own way and, when it has a big majority, as does the current government, its proposed legislation is unlikely to be voted down. It is the job of the Speaker to frustrate the Executives 'tricks' and ensure that what passes is the will of Parliament, which is not necessarily that of the government. If they appear to be 'favouring' the opposition it is because the government is trying to exceed its powers. Nothing whatsoever to do with lack of impartiality...

During the latter part of Bercow's stint as Speaker he was dealing with an Executive that had a very slight majority but was trying its hardest to bypass parliamentary scrutiny. Of course he thwarted it from time to time. That was his job...

We fought a nasty Civil War in the 17th C to bring about this constitutional arrangement. It's very sad that people don't understand constitutional principles ...

effalump

I definitely think he's got his eye on No.10, but probably wants to oust Kier Starmer first. Bercow would enjoy being the opposition to Boris and he would certainly make his voice heard. IMO though, whilst most rats desert a sinking ship, I think this one will be running up the guy ropes.

I think you're a bit confused, effalump.

Bercow isn't even an MP, so can't become Labour Leader.

He knows he will not be entering the House of Lords via the Conservatives therefore he's gone to fish in other waters. The man is a POS.

Bercow was a bully

I don’t want to get accused of anything here but It may be because a lot of Labour’s strongholds are made up of Muslims. So in trying to please them a lot of anti semitism crept in particularly under Corbyn who frequently visited mosques but, forgive me if I am wrong, not synagogues. There are more Muslims than Jews in this country so they have been wooed.

Should have had MaisieD’s post on.

Kamiso

Whitewavemark2

I think that he simply reflects what is happening to Tory support, and why we saw the Amersham result.

The middle class and educated are beginning to no longer recognise the Tory party as a political party that they can identify with, for all the reasons that have been aired.

Hardly news! He was anti conservative when he became speaker. He. Was supposed to remain neutral but let his true. allegiance show.

Another self serving tea time Trotsky labourite, hoping to replace Keir Starmer when his back stabbing colleagues finally oust him.

Kamiso do you know how government works? Bercow has joined the Labour party as an ordinary member. He needs to be selected to stand as an MP, get elected and then he can challenge Starmer. Might take a while.
Also, do you know what a Trotskyist even is?

Gwyneth Don't you think that Johnson's appearance is worthy of comment? Compare his appearance at the G7 with those of the other leaders - he doesn't even bother to get a suit that fits correctly. He certainly stood out from the crowd but not in a good way.

I don't think any of the comments about Johnson have been as foul as some of those about Bercow on here. It seems to me that the only reason for the attacks on here is that he was an excellent Speaker (elected 4 times) who stood up to the govt as necessary.

MaizieD People do remark adversely on his size and dress sense from time to time I've only remember comments on size in relation to him being ill with covid and dress sense is a bit like the comb, he's got enough money to get smart clothes.

And then, of course, there are his extremely well documented little character defects Do you mean lying and infidelity? Well he could control those, might be harder than taming his hair but it would be possible.

Bercow would have more difficulty trying to be taller.

Would anyone want that arrogant big headed pig of a man he has such a chip on his shoulder because he comes from a working class family that he feels he has to use big words to show his intelligence when that’s all he’s doing is making himself look like an idiot
I wouldn’t want him in any party I lead

Still the same pointless, irrelevant bile aimed at Bercow today I see. how childish and spiteful some of you are. It is also rather worrying how many are claiming he did a bad job in a position that he didn't even have, and think he can become Labour leader without even being an MP. Pointing out the well documented and reported faults in Johnson's character such as his sackings for lies, his corruption, inability to 'remember' who paid for stuff is very different.

Pig? POS? Idiot?

Have I strayed into the Daily Mail comments section by mistake?