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Election of Deputy Speakers

3 June 2015

Image of UK Parliament portcullis

The ballot for the election of Deputy Speakers was held on Wednesday 3 June between 10am and 1.30pm in Committee Room 6.

Mr Speaker nominated Sir Roger Gale and Mr George Howarth to serve as temporary Deputy Speakers until the House elected Deputy Speakers.

Candidates

The three candidates were:

A booklet was produced that listed the candidates for the Deputy Speaker election in alphabetical order, together with their sponsors and personal statement.

Once elected, Deputy Speakers remain in office until the next general election, unless they resign or otherwise cease to be an MP.

How are Deputy Speakers elected?

Deputy Speakers are elected using the single transferable vote system.

The votes are allocated so as to ensure that two of the Deputy Speakers are from the opposite side of the House than that from which the Speaker was drawn. Of these, the candidate with the larger number of votes will become the Chairman of Ways and Means, the other the Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means. The third successful candidate will be from the same side of the House as the Speaker and will be the First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.

The votes must also be allocated so as to ensure that, across the four posts of the Speaker and his Deputies, there will be at least one man and at least one woman.

Find out more about the ballot for the election of Deputy Speakers

Further Information

Find out more about Commons Deputy Speakers

House of Commons Library paper

The House of Commons Library produces briefing papers to inform MPs of key issues. The papers contain factual information and a range of opinions on each subject, and aim to be politically impartial.

This article was produced by the Commons Digital Outreach Team. Follow the @HouseofCommons on Twitter for updates on the UK House of Commons Chamber.