Former Commons speaker John Bercow has been administratively suspended from the Labour Party after an inquiry found he was a “serial bully” who would likely have been expelled from Parliament if he was still an MP.
Mr Bercow should be denied a Parliamentary pass, effectively banning him from Parliament, an independent investigation panel said on Tuesday.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone upheld 21 of the 35 claims made against him.
The accusations made by former staff relate to Mr Bercow’s behaviour during his decade as Speaker from 2009 to 2019 and include allegations of bullying, including repeatedly swearing at officials, being rude and throwing his mobile phone.
The Independent Expert Panel (IEP) branded him a “serial bully” and recommended he be blocked from holding a pass given to ex MPs to access the Parliamentary estate.
They said if he was still a sitting MP he would likely face expulsion.
The IEP sub-panel, chaired by Sir Stephen Irwin, found that: “The ICGS Bullying and Harassment Policy was breached repeatedly and extensively by the most senior Member of the House of Commons.
“In all, 21 separate allegations were proved and have been upheld. The House may feel that his conduct brought the high office of Speaker into disrepute.
“This was behaviour which had no place in any workplace. Members of staff in the House should not be expected to have to tolerate it as part of everyday life.”
The allegations were brought by Lord Lisvane, the former clerk of the Commons, and two private secretaries.
Mr Bercow defected to Labour from the Conservatives last year and was the first former Speaker to be denied a peerage in 230 years.
He was nominated by Jeremy Corbyn for the honour, but it was blocked due to the bullying probe.
Labour is understood to have suspended Mr Bercow from the party pending an investigation.
Mr Bercow blasted the IEP’s decision stating it was a “travesty of justice rooted in prejudice, spite and hearsay”.
He said: “Parliament is supposed to be the highest court in the land.
“This inquiry, which lasted a ghastly 22 months at great cost to the taxpayer, has failed it dismally. At the end of it, the panel has simply said that I should be denied a parliamentary pass which I have never applied for and do not want.
“That is the absurdity of its position.”
