John Bercow elected Speaker of House of Commons

Conservative Party leader John Bercow has been elected Speaker of House of Commons after defeating nine other contenders,including an Indian-origin lawmaker Paramjit Singh Dhanda.

Conservative Party leader John Bercow has been elected Speaker of the House of Commons after defeating nine other contenders,including an Indian-origin lawmaker,as the raging expenses scandal forced the incumbent to quit office.

46-year-old Bercow,widely regarded as more popular on the Labour benches than his own,secured victory last night after promising a “period of change and reform.”

The divisive MP for Buckingham defeated Tory leader Sir George Young by 322 votes to 271. He replaces Michael Martin,who last week became the first Speaker in 300 years to be forced to step down because of his handling of the scandal.

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Standing in front of the green Speaker’s chair last night,Bercow thanked those who had backed him.

Indian-origin Labour lawmaker and former minister Paramjit Singh Dhanda was among the 10 contenders for the job. He received 26 votes.

Bercow and Sir George were left to fight it out after eight other candidates either dropped out or were eliminated in two previous rounds of voting. Bercow topped the second ballot,boosting his support from 179 to 221. However,Sir George kept himself in the contest by racking up 62 extra backers to reach 174.

Among those to drop out was Labour Party’s Margaret Beckett,the former Foreign Secretary,who had been favourite to win the contest. Another was former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe,who hoped to do the job until her retirement at the next election,and who was eliminated with just 30 votes.

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Alan Beith and Sir Alan Haselhurst pulled out after the second round while,in the first round of voting,four candidates were ejected.

Sir Michael Lord,currently a Deputy Speaker,got just nine votes,three less than the number of those who supported him on his nomination paper,while Sir Patrick Cormack (13 votes) and Richard Shepherd (15) were also forced out.

Bercow,in his brief speech,said: “You have just bestowed on me the greatest honour that I have enjoyed in my professional life. I thank you for the confidence you have placed in me. I am keenly aware of the obligations into which I now enter.” He promised to serve the House faithfully.

“I want to implement an agenda for reform,for renewal,for revitalization and for the re-assertion of the core values of this great institution in the context of the 21st century,” Bercow said.

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Prime Minister Gordon Brown,who by convention did not vote,congratulated Bercow on becoming the 157th Speaker. He said the House had taken an “important step” in the “process of change”. “You will bring a strength of character and purpose to this House,” the Prime Minister said.