Deputy Speakers elected
9 January 2020
Due to the start of the new Parliament, MPs have elected three Deputy Speakers.
Elected Deputy Speakers
- Dame Eleanor Laing has been elected as Chairman of Ways and Means. The Chairman of Ways and Means is the principal Deputy Speaker in the House of Commons.
- Dame Rosie Winterton has been elected First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.
- Nigel Evans has been elected Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.
The election for the three Deputy Speakers of the House of Commons took place on Wednesday 8 January.
The result was announced by the Speaker in the Chamber.
Who can the Deputy Speakers be?
Two of the Deputy Speakers must come from the opposite side of the House to the Speaker. These are the Chairman of Ways and Means and the Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.
One of the Deputy Speakers must come from the same side of the House as the Speaker and they are the First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.
At least one man and at least one woman must be elected across the four posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Dame Rosie Winterton was the sole candidate from the same side of the House as that from which the Speaker was drawn, and, having been duly nominated, will be elected First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means. Her name did not appear on the ballot paper on 8 January.
How are the Deputy Speakers elected?
The Deputy Speaker election is done by private ballot.
MPs number candidates according to preference, with 1 being the most preferred candidate and representing their vote. The rest are optional.
Only the candidates may watch the count and the results are announced by the Speaker in the Chamber.
What do the Deputy Speakers do?
The principal Deputy Speaker is also the Chairman of Ways and Means. The other two Deputy Speakers are known as the First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means and the Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.
The main role of the Chairman of Ways and Means is to take the Chair during the Speaker's absence and perform their duties. The Chairman of Ways and Means is also chairman of any Committee of the whole House.
The Chairman of Ways and Means also has three roles that the Speaker does not perform: supervision of arrangements for sittings in Westminster Hall, general oversight of matters connected with private bills and Chair of the Panel of Chairs.
The two Deputy Chairmen of Ways and Means may take the Chair in the absence of the Chairman of Ways and Means.
The candidates and their sponsors were:
Sir David Amess, Southend West, Government side
Sponsors: Sarah Champion, Rehman Chishti, Rosie Cooper, Martyn Day, Jackie Doyle-Price, Mr Mark Francois, Mary Glindon, Gillian Keegan, Dr Julian Lewis, Andrew Rosindell
Mr Peter Bone, Wellingborough, Government side
Sponsors: Chris Heaton-Harris, Philip Davies, Tom Pursglove, Tom Hunt, Mr Philip Hollobone, Mr David Jones, Mr William Wragg, Sir Christopher Chope, Mr Marcus Fysh, Richard Fuller
Mr Nigel Evans, Ribble Valley, Government side
Sponsors: Mr David Davis, Joanna Cherry, Caroline Nokes, Nicola Richards, Kate Griffiths, Andy Carter, Rehman Chishti, Carolyn Harris, Tracey Crouch, Eddie Hughes
Mr Robert Goodwill, Scarborough and Whitby, Government side
Sponsors: Jeremy Hunt, Dan Jarvis, Tim Farron, Jacob Young, Mrs Helen Grant, Luke Pollard, Dr Lisa Cameron, Anna McMorrin, Scott Benton, Dame Eleanor Laing
Dame Eleanor Laing, Epping Forest, Government side
Sponsors: Gagan Mohindra, Dr Liam Fox, Chris Bryant, Mr Alistair Carmichael, Stewart Malcolm McDonald, Sir Charles Walker, Virginia Crosbie, Mr Robert Goodwill, Martin Docherty-Hughes, Dame Rosie Winterton
Dame Rosie Winterton, Doncaster Central, Opposition side
Sponsors: Margaret Beckett, Sir Bernard Jenkin, Marsha de Cordova, Christine Jardine, Claire Hanna, Kevin Brennan, Joanna Cherry, Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson, Liz Saville Roberts, Dame Eleanor Laing