Brian Monteith: Bercow is MPs' chance to change

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 09:12

THE new Speaker of the House of Commons, John Simon Bercow, had better have eyes in the back of his head if he is to look after himself, for the knives are already out to remove him from his post – by his former colleagues on the Conservative benches.

It would seem the expenses scandals of the last month that led directly to the demise of the last Speaker have not been enough to waken up a great many members of parliament to just how out of touch they are.

And they are not alone – much of the reporting of Bercow's elevation from the Westminster media village has positively revelled in the prospect that yet another Speaker might be unceremoniously shown the door.

I've known Bercow for nearly thirty years and for all we might occasionally disagree I would certainly have supported him if I had the good fortune to have had a vote. Only Anne Widdicombe offered the same degree of uncomfortable independence that comes from being a member of the awkward squad – and in the role of Speaker the last thing the Parliament needs is a slave to the party whips.

When I was running the Tory students from Conservative Central Office in London I came across John when I visited Essex University to speak to first year students. The meeting had been unhelpfully cancelled by the student union so John and I went for a few beers instead and I immediately identified him as a politician with a bright future.

The son of a North London Jewish taxi driver, he was not the stereotype Tory material but loved the oratory of Winston Churchill and Enoch Powell, had a keen logical mind, and as a fresher was a better speaker than most older student hacks, including me.

Elected to Westminster in 1997 Bercow soon shone, and as a result made enemies, in particular for abandoning his previously right-wing views, becoming what is called a "moderniser". The truth is that Bercow has a libertarian streak and in most respects has been consistent. It was no surprise when he resigned as a shadow cabinet member following Iain Duncan's ill-advised three line whip against allowing unmarried couples to adopt children. He argued it was a matter of individual conscience and not party policy – again showing his independent streak.

It is this willingness to speak out, to defend the unpopular, even though it might affect his career that should give us hope that he will be a good Speaker. If the next government is likely to be a Tory one, and I think it is reasonable to say that it is, then a Speaker that is not in the pocket of the new government – and certainly one that is not part of David Cameron's network of Etonians – is a must.

The idea that one of the first things that Cameron would do as Prime Minister is condone the replacement of the Speaker with someone more amenable is surely risible. Bercow now has the chance to show us Westminster can change for the better. If members want to demonstrate they are serious about living in the real world they should cut Bercow some slack – or allow the cancer of cynicism to spread further through British politics.

See past smokescreen

A CAMPAIGN to amend the smoking ban in England and Wales was launched this week, calling for specially licensed premises with demonstrably high standards of air quality being able to offer smokers the chance to go indoors. I wish it well but the odds are against such tolerance, however.

Last week the BBC kicked off a call for smoking to be banned in cars when there's children present. What might seem a reasonable idea is actually nothing of the sort. The aim of such a ban would be to introduce the precedent so that a similar ban would be applied to anyone's private home. In time the ban would spread to all cars and all homes. Taking hard drugs would become easier.

If you think I'm being reactionary or extreme then consider that the smoking bans were first introduced on long-haul flights and in some railway carriages – with the promise they wouldn't be extended. Soon after all flights and then all trains banned smoking, and now it extends to all "public" enclosed places.

The threat to children is a smokescreen. Introducing laws is no substitute to improving people's manners when with those who don't smoke, including children.

Cut tax, aid recovery

FRESH economic information came out this last week that should be of great concern to Scottish politicians – especially those who inhabit Holyrood.

First, official figures showed that since devolution the number of people working in the public sector had increased by 50,000 – including some 3,400 in the last year when the private sector has been looking to economise. Then on Tuesday, a study by the Fraser of Allander Institute said that compared to the rest of the UK Scotland will have a very weak recovery – and that it will require greater inward investment (foreigners' private money) if it is to have healthy economic growth.

Maybe if everybody, including our business sector, paid less taxes we might recover quicker without overseas help?