The Role Of The Speaker Flashcards
What is the role of the House of Commons speaker
*responsibility of managing the commons and acts as the ‘MP’s spokesperson’
*chairs major debates and decides who may speak (can temporarily suspend MP’s if rules are broken eg Betty Bothroyd removing Ian Paisley)
*can decide on emergency debates
*ensures all MP’s have a chance to speak, that opposition has chance to criticise and that minority parties have a voice.
*expected to be impartial
*DO NOT VOTE but have casting vote on a tied vote
How is the speaker chosen
*house must elect speaker after GENERAL ELECTION or after death/resignation of previous speaker (eg Michael Martin over expenses scandal)
*speaker continues in parliament until DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT, unless they resign before this
*new system brought into effect in 2007 and was first used in June 2009 following resignation of Michael Martin.
What is the present selection system for speaker
*candidates must be nominated by at least 12 members (at least 3 must be of a different party from the candidate
*each member may nominate no more than one candidate and the house then votes by secret ballot
*absolute majority (over 50%) required for victory
If no candidate wins majority:
-individual with fewest votes is eliminated (or those with less than 5% of votes)
-house continues to vote, for several rounds if necessary, until one member receives the requisite majority
-house then votes on a formal motion to appoint the member in question to the Speakership
