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Gary Gibbon
Darling: Lloyds’ directors knew about secret loans
The Chancellor’s statement to the Commons has calmed down the secret bank loans story, although Alistair Darling was summoned to speak by an increasingly active Speaker.
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Gary Gibbon
Bercow backers: ‘grammar school boys, gays and Cameron-haters’
If you think all the Tories will quietly move on from the election of the Speaker, forgive and forget, think again. Feverish work has been going on amongst some front and backbenchers compiling a list of the “secret Bercow supporters” – MPs they think backed Bercow in the final round if not the second. They…
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Gary Gibbon
Speaker Bercow’s reforms will start at (second) home
Just back from the splendour of Speaker’s House state rooms where I’ve been interviewing John Bercow. It’s a bit like a doge’s palace in there. Speaker Bercow will be living in the less stately but pretty nice private accommodation upstairs, with his young family. There will have to be a few adaptations to the property.…
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Gary Gibbon
Bercow elected Speaker: MPs ‘getting it’, or prawn-filled curtains?
For many Labour MPs this was a last chance to get one over on Tories they feel are marching into government – a bit like sewing prawns in the curtains. Margaret Beckett was drafted in as a Stop Bercow candidate but even her supporters couldn’t resist putting one of David Cameron’s least favourite people on…
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Gary Gibbon
After the speeches, the voting for Speaker begins
General mood after the hustings in the chamber is that Sir George Young gave the best speech and may have nosed ahead. Margaret Beckett may be suffering from being seen as the whips’ candidate and her speech sounded like she would only go so far with reform – I will “facilitate desired reform,” she said.…
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Jon Snow
My FOI request on the FSA threw up SFA
I am at the apparent end of a tussle with the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Or I think I am. Last month it was revealed that 51 individuals had effectively failed to pass muster as “competent” to hold key positions in Britain’s financial services industry. Or to put it more politely, these individuals had “withdrawn”…
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Gary Gibbon
MPs gear up for Speaker election
The Speaker candidates – most of them – managed to turn up for a photo shoot just now at St Stephen’s Entrance. John Bercow was a little late and none of the others seemed keen to wait! All 10 candidates got the necessary nominations so it could be a long night whittling down the list. The…
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Jon Snow
The new Speaker must drop this flummery
On one level he is the fall guy of the expenses scandal. But on another, some see Michael Martin as the agent of his own undoing. Look no further than the absurd scenes enacted yesterday as he processed through the Palace of Westminster. Did anyone ever think of cutting that frock coat so that some…
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Gary Gibbon
Speaking out: a parting swipe
“I didn’t realise how much you liked me so I’ve decided I’m staying.” The Speaker’s words at the end of a nearly two hours of tributes. But he was only joking.
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Gary Gibbon
Richard Shepherd joins the Speaker contest – but can he stop Bercow?
Another candidate is about to enter the Speaker’s contest. Tory backbencher Richard Shepherd is throwing his hat in the ring. He is proposing that he should be interim Speaker. He thinks the new parliament, with potentially half the MPs new to the place, should get to choose whoever it wants. Labour MPs in big numbers…