John Bercow MP is announced as Speaker of the House.

The 157th Speaker of the House of Commons has been announced, following several rounds of voting, as Conservative MP John Bercow.

Mr Bercow, Conservative MP for Buckingham, won the vote at 8.30pm last night (22 June), following three rounds of balloting. He fought off Sir George Young MP, by 322 votes to 271, winning the required 50% plus of the ballots cast.

Bookmakers’ favourite Margaret Beckett MP, along with two other candidates, withdrew from the race after the second ballot as they secured only 70, 57 and 46 votes respectively, compared to 221 and 174 received by John Bercow MP and Sir George Young MP. Ann Widdecombe MP suffered elimination at the second round after receiving less than 5% of the ballot.   

When the new Speaker was taken to his seat, he commented: “I will do my best faithfully and honourably and effectively to serve this House in the period ahead.

“We have faced quite the most testing times; it has been a gruelling experience. Many members feel very sore and very vulnerable, but large sections of the public also feel angry and disappointed.”

Mr Bercow signed off: “This job is the greatest privilege of my professional life to occupy.”

The Conservative MP was Shadow Secretary of State for International Development in 2003-4, and has been a member of the International Development Select Committee since November 2004.