Commons Speaker John Bercow has announced that he will stand down as an MP at the next general election.
Mr Bercow, in an impassioned speech, told MPs he would stand down as speaker on October 31 unless an election is called before then.
Addressing the Commons while his wife looked on from the gallery, Mr Bercow said: "At the 2017 election, I promised my wife and children that it would be my last.
"This is a pledge that I intend to keep. If the House votes tonight for an early general election, my tenure as Speaker and MP will end when this Parliament ends.
"If the House does not so vote, I have concluded that the least disruptive and most democratic course of action would be for me to stand down at the close of business on Thursday, October 31."
Mr Bercow continued: "Least disruptive because that date will fall shortly after the votes on the Queen's speech expected on October 21 and 22.
"The week or so after that may be quite lively, and it would be best to have an experienced figure in the chair for that short period.
"Most democratic because it will mean that a ballot is held when all members have some knowledge of the candidates.
"This is far preferable to a contest at the beginning of a parliament when new MPs will not be similarly informed and may find themselves vulnerable to undue institutional influence."
Labour MP Darren Jones has described John Bercow as "a champion of parliamentary sovereignty" after the Commons Speaker announced he was to stand down as an MP at the next general election.
"John Bercow has been a champion of parliamentary sovereignty and a champion for backbenchers like me being able to hold the executive to account," Mr Jones tweeted. "He'll be missed by many of us in the @HouseofCommons. The next Speaker has big shoes to fill."
Mr Bercow added that he could not have served as Speaker without the support of MPs.
He said: "I could also not have served without the support of this House and its members, past and present."
Mr Bercow added: "This is a wonderful place filled overwhelmingly by people who are motivated by their notion of the national interest, by their perception of the public good and by their duty, not as delegates, but as representatives, to do what they believe is right for our country."
He continued: "We degrade this Parliament at our peril."
More follows.
