Speakership Statement

The Labour leadership question is at the moment settled. The Labour side is beginning to recharge its political batteries. One would expect by this weekend for the focus to return to the Speakership race.

This Speakership will differ from others in that the holder of this office will need to help rebuild trust amongst voters in the parliamentary system. The Speaker therefore needs to have a reach into the world outside parliament. But a Speaker must also, at the same time, command support amongst all the parties here at Westminster, including their own.

While I have received a large amount of support from the public, the lack of support from colleagues in my own party is at the moment a significant weakness. Unless that support is forthcoming I will not be a candidate in the election, though it may be that the Labour block may begin to break up over the next week.

It is important that our election of Speaker is seen to be one that is not driven by party advantage. If that is how the public perceives it to be then the next Speaker will be broken-backed when it comes to helping rebuild the trust in our Parliamentary system.

Because I believe the next Speaker has to be different from other recent Speakers, and that the Speakership could play a pivotal role in negotiating a new contract between the House and the government, and the House and the electorate, I will continue to put up material on my website on how I would like the new Speakership to take shape.

Date added: Friday 12th June 2009

Comments

The next Speaker should not be Labour. We've had enough of their jackboots, thank you. I don't mean this personally. But we've has two Labour speakers in a row, and that was one too many.
Report this post - Anonymous

I so wish your party would support you to be a candidate in the election of Speaker. I can't believe that they could consider anyone else. But of course I do believe it - which is precisely why I believe they are putting their own interests before the interests of those whom they are elected to serve.So many voters - whatever their political outlook - respect you.
Report this post - Anonymous

It certainly looks like the Labour Party is backing Bercow with their built in majority. Hopeless!!
Report this post - Anonymous

As someone with no choice but to rely upon the benefits system I'd be greatly disappointed to see you in the speaker's role. The welfare state is something we should be incredibly proud of in Britain, it demonstrates our social commitment to protecting the vulnerable amongst us. Though it is undoubtedly abused, with the correct reforms it could become as remarkable as it's original idea once was. My personal opinion is that Frank Field is the most likely politician to achieve that aim, and becoming Speaker would most likely detract from that. Bendy Girl
Report this post - Anonymous

Mr FieldYou are in my view one of the very few, truly honest MPs and one of the few who, regardless of party, I would vote for. We need people like you in parliament. If you were leader of Labour I would vote for that party for the first time in my long life.
Report this post - Anonymous

Mr Field.while i think you are one of the few decent MPs in the commons,and you would be a great Speaker,England needs you to speak for her,we need all the Heros'we can get.
Report this post - Anonymous

It would be a foolhardy House of Commons that, having aroused public anger with the expenses scandal, continued to rub their collective nose in the dirt by engaging in party one-upmanship through electing the next Speaker purely on the basis of annoying the party opposite: i.e. the public would not take kindly to the election of John Bercow as Speaker. Especially since they have made clear (YouGov poll) that their preference is for Anne Widdecombe - an MP known to, and trusted by, the public.MPs could do a lot worse than mollifying the public by electing Widders; and, who knows, such a choice could even be the beginning of restoring public confidence in democracy; after all, MPs would, for once, be representing their contituents' wishes instead of indulging their own bloated egos. Moreover, Ann Widdecombe would make a very fine Speaker. She'd do a "Mary Poppins" and have the House of Commons licked into shape spit-spot, would stand no nonsense, would be a firm hand on the tiller of the wayward boat that is parliamentary procedure, and would generally be an uplifting presence in the Speaker's chair. The election of Bercow would simply cause the public even more disillusionment (if that were possible) with politics in general and MPs in particular - they wouldn't easily forgive the blatant display of inter-party bickering that would be evidenced by dragging him to the Chair. MPs have been presented with a golden opportunity to begin the process of redemption in the public's eyes. It would be nice to think that they had enough common sense and consideration for their country to outweigh any personal and party interest. They should take the proffered olive branch in the form of electing Anne Widdecombe to the Speakership, and in so doing begin to make amends for their grotesque display of nest-lining, vis a vis the expenses scandal, and the democratic deficit that has developed since party interest, aided and abetted by the Whips, has superceded individual conscience and constituents' wishes.
Report this post - Anonymous

I am not a Labour Party supporter, but I find myself agreeing almost inevitably with Frank Field. His views always are intelligent, fair and sensible. He is right, for example, to emphasise the need to reform our welfare system. He is not afraid to draw attention to the failure of all parties for the past 40-50 years (that is, not just since the enlargement of the EU)to address the electorate's concerns about immigration. Those concerns would exist even if the BNP did not, and discussing them maturely and objectively is not 'giving oxygen' to the BNP or any other racist group. Good luck, Frank.
Report this post - Anonymous

I believe that Frank Field is the only candidate so far declared that has the integrity and strength of principle to occupy the Speakers chair. For the past few years he has been one of the few Members to attempt to hold this present Government to account, I also believe that had Tony Blair not run scared from Mr Fields proposals for pension reform we would not be in the mess we are in now - I write this as a Conservative supporter, my only regret would be if Mr Field is appointed to the position he will not be able to hold the next Government to account - as I fear they will need doing.
Report this post - Anonymous

As a taxpaying citizen, I believe that Frank Field would make the best next Speaker in the Commons.If that is not to be, then his integrity should be the benchmark by which every other candidate is judged.I believe that many on the current list would fall at that first hurdle!
Report this post - Anonymous

We require much more than Speaker of Frank Field = we need him as the Leader of the Labour Party = the sheer trust he engenders in ordinary voters as honest,straightforward, experienced and intelligent would revitalise the Labour Party to the extent we could forget the past and look forward = Daniel
Report this post - Anonymous

I'd like to thank you for being consistent and reliable, we know where we stand with you - you don't flip flop all over the place. Mr. Brown has to go - Labour are unelectable with him, Balls, Copper, Mandelson, Miliband x 2 & Straw, in fact the only cabinet member I like is Hilary Benn and he's a bit iffy. I'm going to vote for UKIP at the general election but if you or David Winnick held significant cabinet posts I'd think again. English votes for English laws is important to me, we want OUR England back.
Report this post - Anonymous