Angered: former speaker Baroness Boothroyd

The former Speaker of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd, has condemned the government's decision to sack to select committee chairmen.

She urged MPs to reject any manipulation of parliament and called for MPs to vote for Gwyneth Dunwoody and Donald Anderson to be reinstated as chairman of the transport and foreign affairs committees respectively.

MPs will vote on whether to accept the government's list of committee members on Monday. The Conservative MP Douglas Hogg has tabled amendments to the motion that would see the two independent-minded Labour MPs restored to the committees.

Robin Cook, leader of the Commons has announced that all Labour MPs would be given a free vote on who should become select committee chairmen.

In an interview with the Times, Boothroyd said: "It seems that the government is manipulating parliament. Select committees are not an arm of government. They are a mechanism of parliament to scrutinise government. The two people concerned have huge reputations in this House and have won great respect for the jobs they have done as chairmen as well as outside the House."

She described the government's attempt to avoid criticism as "outrageous" and said it was the job of committee member to "speak out when there is a need to speak out."

"The House of Commons can do what it likes. It has the authority and power if it wishes to do so. These decisions can be changed by the will of the House. It is all very well talking about reform. Here is a chance for the House to act. It can use its authority, take power away from the whips and reinstate those two excellent chairmen," she said, in a call for MPs to defeat the government.