LONDON – The government is not going to step in and stop politicians from trying to remove House of Commons Speaker John Bercow after he was branded a “hypocrite” for blocking US President Donald Trump from addressing Parliament when he visits Britain later this year.
MPs have called for Bercow to be removed as speaker because they believe he is not impartial enough to do the job.
The House of Commons website says: “The Speaker is the chief officer and highest authority of the House of Commons and must remain politically impartial at all times … therefore, on election the new Speaker must resign from their political party and remain separate from political issues even in retirement.”
However, on February 6, Bercow said he intends to block Trump from addressing Parliament.
It is customary for visiting presidents to address MPs and members of the House of Lords in Westminster Hall when making state visits to Britain. As speaker of the House of Commons, however, Bercow is one of three people who has the authority to block visiting figures from doing this.
Here is his speech about blocking Trump:
The following day, he was accused of "hypocrisy" for allowing a number of controversial world leaders to speak to Parliament.
Furthermore, the Sunday Telegraph published a video in which he is seen telling students at Reading University that he "personally" voted for Remain during the EU referendum: