§ Mr. Tony Benn (Chesterfield)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I rise to raise a point that I put to you privately. It concerns an article that appears in The Guardian today under the name of Michael White, from which I shall quote two extracts. It begins:
MPs are canvassing for a new speaker of the Commons to succeed Betty Boothroyd amid frustration among ministers at her determination to resist what she sees as the government's encroachment on the rights of Parliament.It goes on to state thatit is widely understood that many ministers will be glad to see the back of their assertive … colleague, hoping to replace her with a more emollient opposition MP.I am not concerned with the source of the leak. It is an assumption of Governments that all Ministers and their press officers speak with the authority of the Prime Minister. Nor am I concerned with your position, Madam Speaker, because you were elected unanimously by the House, and I know of no Speaker who has enjoyed so much support. However, I am concerned with the implication that the ability to appoint the Speaker of the House of Commons lies within the patronage of the Prime Minister, when in reality that power belongs to the House.A sort of parallel might be drawn with the events of 4 January 1642, when Charles I tried to arrest the five Members. Today, the spin doctors in the Press Gallery are trying to remove the Speaker, but the same principle is at stake. It is very important that hon. Members should defend the House, because the legislature is not a quango of the Executive.
I very much hope, Madam Speaker, that you will use your discretion to find an opportunity to allow the role of the Executive vis-à-vis the House of Commons to be properly debated. I do not ask for a considered judgment now, but I feel very strongly that, unless it asserts itself, the House will virtually disappear as a factor in our political society.
§ Madam SpeakerI understand the right hon. Gentleman's concern for the House. However, he will know—probably rather better than I—that, when the time comes, the House asserts its independence in electing its Speaker. I have great faith that it will do that.
§ Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I recall the circumstances surrounding the election of your predecessor, Lord Weatherill. Is there not something to be said for the House of Commons having a Speaker whom the Prime Minister of the day does not want?
§ Madam SpeakerAs Eric Morecambe used to say, "There's no answer to that."
§ Mr. Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. During Question Time, you rightly rebuked me mildly for not resuming my seat. May I apologise unreservedly, but also offer the explanation that my eyes were firmly focused on the Government Front Bench and the Minister and that my hearing was impaired by the noise from the Labour Benches? I am sorry that I did not resume my seat more quickly.
§ Madam SpeakerQuestions are sometimes rather longer than I want them to be.