John Bercow banned from Parliament for life

So a woman who is taken to an employment tribunal and who has to pay out thousands in compensation for bullying is a "nippy sweetie" but a man who bullies is bamned from the commons.
Double standards!!!!

What is a nippy sweetie anyway

She’s a bully. And it appears heartless and incompetent

And we still have posters referencing Bercow's lack of height as somehow being relative to his behaviour. You wouldn't dream of referring to a person with ginger hair or dark skin in a derogatory way, so why refer to his height? It weakens your argument.

I would love to see him back as Speaker if only to bring some sort of order to that Bear Garden we call a Parliament.

Hoyle is neither use nor ornament.

A nippy sweetie is a sharp tongued woman.
Re Bercow could he have been fined? It wasn't a law court was it? He doesn't sound bothered by not being allowed back in Westminster but he must feel pretty damned by the finding. Wonder what he'll do next? Who would employ him?

I’ve no idea if he was a bully or not. But I am curious to know where the people who accuse him stand politically given that he was a thorn in the side of the current government for a long time. Pity they don’t ban people from parliament that were happy to help a friend get someone beaten up.

I vote labour, voted remain and am a member of the labour party. Hope that helps.

I am saddened to read the verdict and if bercow was found guilty of bullying then so be it, I loathe bullies. I also think he was a very good speaker and unlike the present rather weak incumbent, would call out Johnson for his repeated lies.

MayBee70

I’ve no idea if he was a bully or not. But I am curious to know where the people who accuse him stand politically given that he was a thorn in the side of the current government for a long time. Pity they don’t ban people from parliament that were happy to help a friend get someone beaten up.

I have not forgotten Johnson's reaction to Paula Sherriff in the House when she told him that the death threats she and her colleagues had received often quoted him. She was asking him to tone down his 'inflammatory' language. His answer was "humbug". The abuse from the general public towards her escalated afterwards.

In his own inimitable, blustering, way, Johnson is also a bully - he has the same dismissive and contemptuous attitude as Bercow displayed at times.

Then there is Priti Patel. The hypocrisy is stunning - and political.

With regard to the journalist - I don't think he was beaten up ultimately, but Boris Johnson was happy to provide the information for this to happen.

Although I thought Bercow an effective Speaker - I did not like him. He was / is boorish and churlish. And so is Johnson.

Interestingly a former PM of Sweden, Göran Persson, was accused of bullying - particularly women. Although he didn't use intemperate language, his manner was somewhat gruff and uncivil. He was accused of being buffelig meaning he behaved like a buffalo. Ultimately, he met his match when talking with a former civil servant, Anitra Steen, who refused to be cowed by his manner. I believe she basically shut him up. They married some time later.

But a bully is a bully, though sometimes bullying can be cloaked by subversive means.

Chewbacca

And we still have posters referencing Bercow's lack of height as somehow being relative to his behaviour. You wouldn't dream of referring to a person with ginger hair or dark skin in a derogatory way, so why refer to his height? It weakens your argument.

? agree.

The comments reminded of my rather prejudiced and snobbish mother who would refer to people (usually Labour politicians) as “that ghastly little man” purely due to the way he spoke often.

I have no doubt that Bercow is a demanding little man who likes his own way and probably does bully.

Order! Order! trisher

Discriminating because of the height or sex of someone is not allowed!

I rather liked him. If he had made sexist or ageist remarks to me I might have been upset at work because I would have wondered if he could have jeopardised my career.
If I were a friend that he had tried to bully he would have got as good as he had given.

It's good to remember that bullies come in all shapes, sizes, colours, ages, political persuasions, male and female. They walk amongst us; sometimes as an overt loud mouthed, hectoring and aggressive bully and sometimes as a manipulative, secretive, passive aggressive bully. But the end result is the same. They cause a huge amount of hurt and damage and some of it lasts a lifetime for their victims. But whoever they are, no matter what their status in life is; a bully should never be allowed to get away it and penalties should be swift and harsh.

Little man syndrome, I refused to see him when invited, he’s a bully, let’s see how he gets on in the real world, without the shelter of the House.

Height again?

He's been out of the House for years, I'm sure he'll be fine.

He’s a University Professor of Politics now. I’d say few are better qualified for the role.

Bullying someone who is not on the same level career-wise is totally unacceptable and he had no right to take out his frustration on those people.

However, keeping MPs in order was a different matter.

Allsorts

Little man syndrome, I refused to see him when invited, he’s a bully, let’s see how he gets on in the real world, without the shelter of the House.

... not all 'little' men are bothered by their short stature.

He could've been 6ft 3in and still be a boorish bully.

And if men are bothered by their lack of height, it's possibly because other people make it a point of reference.

He is responsible for his behaviour, which he controls. But he had no control over his genes.

... and Boris Johnson is not responsible for his physical appearance, nor for the refractory nature of his hair - which is all part of his genetic make up. Just to be fair.

I'm sure he'll survive outside the House - as most politicians appear to do, regardless.

There's a lot of things one can criticise about the man - but his height is not one of them.

I think the height may influence attitudes though. If you are a woman and a man is standing near you shouting and he's 6ft+ his words will go over your head a bit. Whereas Bercow will be about the same height and his words will be right in your face which is far more intimidating and far more noticeable. So possibly his height did influence things.

Has Priti Patel got little woman syndrome?

trisher

I think the height may influence attitudes though. If you are a woman and a man is standing near you shouting and he's 6ft+ his words will go over your head a bit. Whereas Bercow will be about the same height and his words will be right in your face which is far more intimidating and far more noticeable. So possibly his height did influence things.

True - but that's looking at it objectively.

Suggesting he has 'little man syndrome' or that he's a "little twerp" isn't.

Of course it's always possible he feels diminished by his short stature (because people insist on remarking on it) but I somehow doubt it bothers him much... he's quite a buoyant character.

trisher

I think the height may influence attitudes though. If you are a woman and a man is standing near you shouting and he's 6ft+ his words will go over your head a bit. Whereas Bercow will be about the same height and his words will be right in your face which is far more intimidating and far more noticeable. So possibly his height did influence things.

He would have been shouting straight at me at one time but I think I've shrunk a bit.
I'd probably just have asked him if he'd finished when he drew breath.

Is it acceptable to refer to ‘the fat woman’ ?

No