The other Big Vote
The real tragedy in all this is that the Speaker election has been hugely overshadowed. I love a Speaker election. It's all about the future of Parliament. What should the Commons look like? How should the government be held to account?
Sure, it can feel a little nerdy, but this stuff really matters. Brexit has been shaped by the Bercow regime. He allowed the Benn Act to get through. He also massively increased the number of Urgent Questions, where MPs can force a minister to come to the Commons and explain what's going on in particular areas.
The Speaker matters.
(A quick note on the last Speaker - you'll find no fawning tributes here. There are the famous alleged bullying allegations. Alleged. When I was at Parliament I saw some of these alleged incidents. I, allegedly, spoke to staff in tears because of what was going on. Still. Nothing has been proved and I must have misinterpreted what I saw. Whatever. Not that upset he's gone.)
The process
It's such a fun day. On Monday at 2.30, the father of the House (Ken Clare) climbs into the Speaker's Chair. All the people who want to be Speaker need (I think) 15 nominations from other MPs, three of which must be from other parties.
Once the nominations are in, all the candidates get a few minutes to make a speech. These are well worth watching - competing visions for what the Commons should look like, how it works, how the rules might bend.
UP next are the votes. Very unusually, MPs vote on a paper ballot. This is done in rounds. The candidate that comes last (and anyone who gets less than 5%) is removed from the process. The next round starts again. Sometimes candidates drop out along the way, too.
The candidates
There are loads and loads of candidates. I'm not going to go through them all because they haven't got a chance. Here's who you need to know about:
Lindsay Hoyle
I just can't see anything other than a Hoyle victory. He's the current Deputy, so it's more of the same, but a bit toned down. He's continuity. He's consistency. He's a safe pair of hands in volatile times.
Harriet Harman
The longest-serving woman in the COmmons. Briefly in charge of the Labour Party. SUggestions are that she would continue to focus on how Parliament can scrutinise the government. The only serious challenger to Hoyle.
Chris Bryant
The bookies suggest he has an outside chance. I don't think he does, but he's a Labour MP who wants more civility in the COmmons. He wasn't a fan of the scenes of protest in the Commons at prorogation, nor the increasing levels of applause creeping in.
Eleanor Lang
Poor Eleanor Lang. She's a Deputy Speaker, just like Hoyle. She wants to be Speaker, just like Hoyle. She says she will do continuity and calm vibes, just like Hoyle. Unlike Hoyle, though, she isn't favourite. Or second favourite. Or third. She is fourth, so it's not allllll bad.
There are five or so other MPs in the race, but as they won't be sitting in the big green chair any time soon, I won't bore you with the details.
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