Election of the Commons Speaker 2015
15 May 2015 (updated on 15 May 2015)
The House of Commons must elect its Speaker after each general election. John Bercow was re-elected as Speaker of the House of Commons.
The process for choosing a Speaker of the House of Commons starts on Monday 18 May 2015. Depending on the outcome of proceedings on 18 May the process may continue on Tuesday 19 May 2015.
How is a Speaker elected?
On Monday 18 May, the Commons, led by the Father of the House Sir Gerald Kaufman, will go to the House of Lords where they will receive a message from the Queen asking them to elect a Speaker. They then return to the House of Commons and begin the process immediately, under the direction of the Father of the House.
If John Bercow, the Speaker before the general election, wishes to stand for re-election as Speaker, a motion is put before the House ‘that John Bercow do take the Chair of this House as Speaker’.
This is known as a 'question to the House' and if this is opposed by MPs on the floor of the House a decision is then made by division (vote).
If the returning Speaker does not wish to stand again, or if the House votes against the appointment of the former Speaker, a contested election by exhaustive secret ballot takes place to choose a new Speaker. The ballot would take place on the following day, 19 May 2015
When the House has agreed, the Member named in the motion takes the Chair as Speaker-elect and is traditionally dragged ‘reluctantly’ to the chair.
On the day after the election, the Speaker-elect goes to the House of Lords to receive the Queen’s approbation from a Royal Commission.
Further information
Commons Speaker
The Speaker of the House of Commons chairs debates in the Commons Chamber. The holder of this office is an MP who has been elected to be Speaker by other Members of Parliament. During debates they keep order and call MPs to speak.
The Speaker is the chief officer and highest authority of the House of Commons and must remain politically impartial at all times.
The Speaker also represents the Commons to the monarch, the Lords and other authorities and chairs the House of Commons Commission.
- Find out more about the Speaker of the House of Commons
- Frequently asked questions: Speaker's election
Father of the House
Father of the House is the title given to the MP with the longest continuous service who is not a Minister. The Father of the House is Rt Hon Sir Gerald Kaufman MP.
There has not, so far, been a Mother of the House.
This article was produced by the Commons Digital Outreach Team. Follow the @HouseofCommons on Twitter for updates on the UK House of Commons Chamber.