As you'd expect the Politico Daily has been following the Deputy Speaker's election, which has been going on in the House of Commons over the last week, following the resignation of former Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans. And looking at the seven candidates, all Conservatives by the way, as this vacancy can only be filled from the government parties but no Liberal Democrats have put themself forward.
The candidates are:
David Amess (Southend West)
Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk)
Brian Binlay (Northampton South)
Simon Burns (Chelmsford)
Nadine Dorries (Bedfordshire Mid)
Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest)
Gary Streeter (Devon South West)
Simon Burns famously called the Speaker John Bercow a "stupid sanctimonious dwarf" after the Speaker told him off during Health Questions, Mr Burns was a Health Minister at the time. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, told a story at a lobby lunch about an incident after Mr Burns clipped Mr Bercow's car the Speaker said "I'm not happy" Mr Burns retorted "well which of the seven are you?". Nadine Dorries has also had run ins with the Speaker referring to Mr Bercow as "oily". Can't find any of the other candidates having clashed with Speaker like that.
It is also thought that Mr Burns is the preferred candidate of Number 10 as he was until recently a Government Minister and the Department for Transport. This should be a problem for him when it comes to getting votes from the Opposition parties and the more rebellious members of the Conservative party.
Nadine Dorries says she is the candidate to "fight IPSA" which is not part of the role for the Deputy Speaker. Her decision to go to the Jungle while the House of Commons was sitting should also play a part in MP's decision making. Despite her claims that there was "no legislation" before the Commons while she was in Australia, which simply isn't true as we pointed put last December when she made the claim on the Sunday Politics.
Although all of the other candidates have a good track record of Parliamentarians it must be Eleanor Laing that is chosen. She comes across as taking no nonsense and very straight talking, which is vital in the role she seeks. She will have to put aside her own views and become impartial which it looks like she's the most capable one for that. I'll leave the final comment to the MP that told me about Mrs Laing "she's a mother of a young son so she is used dealing with people behaving like children and that is perfect training for chairing more partisan debates in the chamber".
