愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Report brands ex-U.K. Commons Speaker Bercow a 'serial bully'

John Bercow outside the Houses of Parliament in London, on Sept. 24, 2019. (Matt Dunham / AP) John Bercow outside the Houses of Parliament in London, on Sept. 24, 2019. (Matt Dunham / AP)
Share
LONDON -

Former U.K. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow is a "serial bully" who should never again be granted an access pass to Parliament, Tuesday.

The independent expert panel upheld earlier findings by Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone that Bercow had bullied members of his staff. It said he should never be granted a parliamentary pass, which gives access to the building for lawmakers, staff and journalists, and that if he was still a member of Parliament he would have been expelled.

Bercow became an international celebrity during Britain's bruising political wrangles over Brexit as he oversaw fractious debates with bellowing cries of "Or-derrrr!"

His activist interpretation of the Speaker's role and moves to allow lawmakers to challenge the government's decisions made him a hero to opponents of leaving the European Union, a villain to Brexit advocates and a thorn in the side of the Conservative government.

He also angered some on the political right by saying in 2017 that U.S. President Donald Trump shouldn't be allowed to address Parliament, an honor given to some of his predecessors.

Bercow stepped down in 2019 after a decade as Speaker.

In its report, the panel said "it is for historians to judge whether the respondent was a successful reforming Speaker of the House of Commons."

But it said he was "a serial bully" whose behaviour "was so serious that, had he still been a Member of Parliament, we would have determined that he should be expelled by resolution of the House."

The panel upheld 21 allegations against Bercow by three current and former Commons staff members.

Bercow condemned the conclusions as a "travesty of justice" and said he had been subjected to a "vengeful vendetta."

"This has been a protracted, amateurish and unjust process which would not have survived five minutes' scrutiny in court," Bercow said. "To describe what I have experienced as a kangaroo court is grossly insulting to kangaroos."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

It's a dream for many Canadians, trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their very first home. That was also the dream for the Esmeralda family, a family of five with two dogs who currently live in a Scarborough apartment building.

Donations are quickly pouring in for the family of a young woman who was found dead inside a Walmart in Halifax last weekend.

A haunted house in the Ontario Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

BREAKING

BREAKING

Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.

Sri Lanka says 3 locals were arrested over a possible attack on Israel tourists

Sri Lanka police have arrested three persons in connection with a possible attack on Israeli travellers in the Indian ocean island, a government minister said on Thursday, a day after the authorities stepped up the security across the country, with the United States warning of an attack targeting a popular tourist destination.

Local Spotlight

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.