Newcastle East Labour MP must not turn Speaker's election into a stitch-up (Greg Stone)

Newcastle East Labour MP must not turn Speaker's election into a stitch-up

June 22, 2009 12:09 PM

Big Ben Newcastle East Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman Greg Stone has expressed concerns at suggestions that Labour Whips are trying to stitch up the election of the new House of Commons Speaker today in favour of their preferred candidate Margaret Beckett.

Greg Stone said "If true these rumours are very worrying, not least because it shows Nick Brown as Chief Whip is leading an operation to impose a partisan Labour candidate into the job, rather than the best and most reform-minded candidate."

"Despite having claimed to be in favour of reform of parliament, Nick has voted against transparency and reform when he has had the chance, and is now leading Labour whips in seeking to impose a candidate who was until last week a senior Government minister"

"It would be far better for the authority of Parliament if the power of the whips was curbed and a free and fair election held for a new Speaker based not on party allegiance but on their ability to lead a modern and transparent Parliament capable of holding the executive to account".

"Trying to impose a partisan and anti-reform Labour Cabinet minister as the third Labour Speaker in succession, in contravention of the custom that the role should alternate between parties, is not what voters in Newcastle East want. It is time for Nick Brown to end these outdated and unhelpful control-freak tactics"

"Though I feel that the sole Lib Dem candidate Sir Alan Beith has great integrity and would be a highly commendable choice, I believe the Conservative Sir George Young and Labour's Parmjit Dhanda would also do justice to the role".