Where was the Speaker today!?

Watching PMQ earlier I could not help but wonder why didn’t Speaker Bercow intervene and stop Brown from carrying on with his ‘The Tories are in a muddle …’ attacks!

In politics we are all after the same thing, we just go about it differently. And therefore I can understand and expect the Speaker to have some Labour chums – like Martin Slater the Labour MP who defended him fiercely yesterday on the Daily Politics Show – but I also expect his relationship with them to be personal and stay out side the Chambers.

When John Bercow was elected he said; “…the speaker has a responsibility immediately and permanently to cast aside all of his or her political views.” A reformist and a modernizer in his acceptance speech he promised; “My commitment to this house is to be completely impartial between members of one political party and another – That is what it is about – I will do my best faithfully and honourably and effectively to serve this house in the period ahead.”

That is why I find his sudden silence and developing bias very disappointing. Contrary to what he has promised, today Mr. Brown was allowed an endless and steady attack on the Tories with no intervention form the Speaker. I can understand his wife’s open dislike to the Tories –as a Labour activist and approved candidate her feelings are understandable – but I am having great difficulty appreciating Mr. Bercow’s stance.