SUBC: Speaker Takes Some Blame For Rowdy PMQs

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 25 Februari 2015 | 18.25

By Sophy Ridge, Political Correspondent

The Speaker of the House of Commons has admitted he is partly responsible for the bad behaviour at Prime Minister's Questions.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News Stand Up Be Counted members, John Bercow MP said: "Do I accept some share of the responsibility for putting it right? I do."

He also gave his views on the "cash for access" scandal telling MPs Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw they will "cop it" if it is proven they have broken the rules over claims they offered to trade their influence in return for money.

Four young people challenged the Speaker on how he runs Parliament as part of Sky News' campaign to give a voice to 18-24 year olds.

Chris Robertson, 24, from Lincoln, said he finds MPs' conduct at PMQs "horrible".

He said: "I'm a student union president and if I acted like that around my members I'd have been sacked by now.

"You've been speaking out for six years. Do you not think it should've been curtailed by now? Does it mean that you have failed in your job as leader of the house and Speaker?"

Mr Bercow replied: "Do I accept that the unreformed Prime Minister's Questions is a problem? I do. Do I accept some share of responsibility for putting it right? I do.

"Would I accept that it's all down to the Speaker? No I wouldn't. What I can't do, what no Speaker can do is make people behave decently if they don't want to behave decently.

"Members have got to take responsibility for their own conduct in the chamber.

"And I think my point would be to ask members who shout regularly - would you be content for your constituents to see and hear you if you if you were caught on camera?

"And if the answer is they would be content, there is something wrong, and if the answer is that they wouldn't be content then they should change the way they behave."

The Stand Up Be Counted contributors were given rare access to the Speaker in the Palace of Westminster as part of attempts to engage young people in politics.

Less than half of 18-24 year olds voted at the last election, with young women the least likely to vote by some margin.

Eighteen-year-old Ellie James, from Grimsby, challenged the Speaker about the lack of female MPs.

He criticised the main parties for not doing enough, saying: "I think the parties talked the talk and have made some progress but I don't think they anything like as effectively walked the walk, so I would look to the parties to do more there."

He also revealed that he seeks to make sure women are called to speak in the Chamber, adding: "I don't like calling lots of men in a row. I always have in mind what female colleagues I have called today. And if I may say so, and this isn't meant in a patronising sense at all, but the simple fact is women on the whole are better behaved in parliament than the men.

"They're just as tough, they're just as capable, they can withstand parliamentary life just as much as men can. They don't sit there like shrinking violets but on the whole they're better behaved and don't shout as much as men do."

Jaspreet Kaur, 18, from Birmingham, told Mr Bercow that when she looks at Parliament, all she sees is "grandeur and confusion" and that it can be difficult to understand.

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