Candidacy for Speakership
The following letter was sent to parliamentary colleagues yesterday morning:
11 June 2009
I have agreed to be a candidate for the office of Speaker, and so I am now writing to all colleagues to explain why and to seek support on June 22nd.
I believe that it is important that the new Speaker should have had many years experience in the House, both on the Government and Opposition benches; a long track record of service to Parliament; have demonstrated an ability to be impartial; and have a clear idea of the duties, and the limitations, of the office of Speaker. The new Speaker should not have had recent front bench responsibilities.
A schoolmaster for ten years before I was elected in 1970, I was a PPS from 1970 until 1973. Apart from that, and three years on the Opposition Front Bench from 1997, I have always been a backbencher. For fifteen years I served on the Speaker’s Panel of Chairmen, and chaired many controversial Bills. I served on the select committee which paved the way for the first Equal Opportunities legislation and was on one of the first departmental select committees (Education) in 1979. On the Foreign Affairs Committee from 2001 until 2003, I was also a member of the House of Commons Commission from 2001 until 2005. Since 2005 I have chaired the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. I hope that in all of these roles I have displayed objectivity and impartiality.
I have played an active part in other parliamentary activities, having been Vice Chairman and Treasurer of the C.P.A. and an officer of a number of All Party Groups. In 1974 I helped found the All Party Arts & Heritage Group and have been its Chairman since 1979. This is one of the largest, and most active, of all the All Party groups. I have been Chairman of the History of Parliament Trust since 2001.
The Chamber has always been the centre of my parliamentary life. In both debate and division lobby, I have sought to put conscience, country, and constituency, above party. During the long period of Conservative government, between 1979 and 1997, I consistently voted against the poll tax, and indeed was one of only two Conservatives who did not support its introduction in Scotland. I voted against the abolition of the G.L.C. and the abolition of free eye sight and dental checks. During the early 1990’s I was almost a lone voice on the Conservative benches calling for intervention in Bosnia.
As Speaker I would seek to chair the proceedings of the House without fear or favour. I believe I would be able to stand up to an Executive, however powerful, and to ensure that minority voices were always heard. I would seek to represent the House, and to explain the importance of parliamentary democracy, and of upholding the institution of Parliament, throughout the country. I would seek to make Speaker’s House a place where parliamentarians, and leaders in all walks of life, could meet. Having been one of the founders of the visiting Parliamentary Fellowships at St Antony’s College, Oxford, I know the importance of building bridges between politics and academic, professional and commercial life, and between science and the arts.
The role of Speaker has its limitations. A Speaker must uphold the rules of the House and if those rules are changed he must act as the House directs. However, I am daily conscious of the fact that that the prime purpose of parliament is to hold the Executive to account, and to ensure that legislation promoted by the Executive is thoroughly scrutinized and examined. One of my first initiatives would be to call a Speaker’s Conference to look at the way in which the interests of legislature and Executive are balanced, and at the manner in which legislation is scrutinized.
These are turbulent times for Parliament. Its image has been tarnished by the way in which some members have interpreted the rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances. It must be the duty of any new Speaker to ensure that after Sir Christopher Kelly has reported, new rules are rigorously enforced but that they do not punish retrospectively those who have behaved responsibly, or inhibit men and women of limited means from aspiring to Parliament.
I have always worked closely with friends in all parties. I believe that I could bring to the position of Speaker a robust impartiality founded on a passionate belief in parliamentary democracy and a deep love of the Palace of Westminster in general, and the House of Commons in particular – a love reflected in my book, ‘Westminster, Palace and Parliament’ published as long ago as 1981. Finally, having just attained my 70th birthday, I want to make it clear that it would be my intention to retire at 75 at the latest, and to time my retirement so that a parliament which knew all the potential successors could have a chance to elect a new Speaker before a General Election.
I would of course be happy to discuss any aspects of my candidature with any colleague.
With all good wishes,
Patrick Cormack
