'At least someone got a landslide’, Theresa May jokes as Commons Speaker John Bercow is re-elected

Hatty Collier13 June 2017
WEST END FINAL

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Theresa May joked “at least someone got a landslide” as she congratulated John Bercow on being re-elected as Commons Speaker.

The Prime Minister’s quip was met with a roar of laughter in the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon as she welcomed Mr Bercow’s re-appointment.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also joked to the re-elected Speaker: “We look forward to this Parliament however short it might be.”

Congratulating Mr Bercow, Mrs May said: “Mr Speaker-elect, on behalf of the whole house, may I congratulate you on your re-election, at least someone got a landslide.”

Theresa May cracks a joke as she speaks at the dispatch box in the House of Commons
AFP/Getty Images

She added: “May I also congratulate you on being the first speaker since the Second World War to be re-elected three times.

"In your tenure so far you have been a great champion of backbenchers, ensuring that every member of this House has the opportunity to speak and to be heard in representing the people they serve.

It was the first time MPs had met in the House of Commons since Mrs May's catastrophic General Election gamble backfired and the Conservatives lost their overall majority last Thursday.

Mr Bercow had told MPs: “We appear to be destined for testing times, I offer myself to the House as a tested Speaker."

John Bercow is re-elected Commons Speaker
PA

Mr Corbyn said that during his 34 years as MP for Islington North, there has been "no better Speaker" that Mr Bercow.

He became Speaker in 2009 and said he wanted to serve for nine years but has recently indicated that he will serve for longer.

Five Tory MPs backed a no confidence motion against Mr Bercow earlier this year after he said Donald Trump should not be allowed to address Parliament during his state visit.

But James Duddridge, the Conservative former minister, said on Monday that there was “no appetite” for a vote to challenge him anymore.

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