Bercow attacks House security

Speaker John Bercow has launched an excoriating attack on “amateurish” security at the Houses of Parliament.

Mr Bercow said a series of incidents, including a foam pie attack on media mogul Rupert Murdoch, had shown that the arrangements were “unsatisfactory”.

The comments came as Mr Bercow addressed a lunch for political journalists in Westminster. Serjeant-at-Arms Jill Pay recently announced her retirement amid rumours of a bust-up with the Speaker.

Mr Bercow said security had “been messy, complex and amateurish on many occasions in the past”.