Speaker and the Chamber

The Speaker is perhaps best known as the person who keeps order and calls MPs to speak during Commons debates and question times. Their role is to act as a neutral referee between the different sides of the House of Commons ensuring that the rules are followed, and order is maintained.

Speakers must be politically impartial. Therefore, on election the new Speaker, who is a sitting MP, must resign from their political party and remain separate from political issues even in retirement. However, the Speaker will continue to represent a constituency and deal with their constituents' problems like a normal MP.

The Speaker has a role in terms of what happens in the Chamber. Explore the sections below to find out more about the parliamentary business and the role of the Speaker in them.