MPs are damaging the reputation of parliament by “spray painting our shop window” during prime minister’s questions, John Bercow has said.
In a sign of his deep frustration at the noisy parliamentary session every Wednesday lunchtime, the Commons Speaker said that voters are generally alienated by the “almost incontrollable cacophony” in the chamber.
Bercow criticised MPs in an interview with the House magazine in which he suggested that ancient titles such as “the right honourable member” could be dropped and members of the public could be invited to a special session of prime minister’s questions on the parliamentary estate.
The Speaker showed his irritation with David Cameron and Ed Miliband for failing to live up to their commitments to raise the tone of their weekly joust in the Commons. “It does seem quite a long time since the two party leaders made those statements,” he said.
He said the angry exchanges were damaging parliament: “When there’s an almost incontrollable cacophony, it’s a bad thing. We are spray painting our shop window because what most people see of parliament is prime minister’s questions.”
Bercow added: “Although people who work on the beltway in Westminster often think it’s fine as it is, that it’s great – some members of the media would quite like there to be a fist fight in the chamber –actually that’s not how the public see it. And the impression I get from going round the country, and from what the limited opinion polling evidence is, is that although the public want there to be robust argument and inquiry, they don’t want there to be a ritualistic shouting match every Wednesday lunchtime.”
The Speaker, who has made a point of trying to open up parliament, said that a special public session of PMQs could be held on the parliamentary estate. “We wouldn’t have a PM’s questions session in the chamber, or at any rate not as a formal parliamentary proceeding. But is it possible that we could have direct question sessions between the PM and members of the public on the parliamentary estate? Yes I think it’s perfectly possible that we could do so.”
Bercow also said he was open to the idea of reforming parliamentary language. “I think the use of the word ‘strangers’ in the house still causes considerable misunderstanding and often resentment. That’s a pity and I don’t think it’s necessary. There may be a case for looking at that.
“Whether we stick with the terminology of honourable gentleman, honourable lady, right honourable gentleman, right honourable lady, or whether we move to a different and more modern system I’m completely open minded on that matter. Would I seek in any way to block a consideration of that issue? Absolutely not.”
The Speaker, who was once Britain’s highest ranked junior tennis player, also revealed he has watched 67 of Roger Federer’s 80 tennis matches this year. “All people I work with know I’m an obsessive Federer fan. This year I think Federer so far has played around 80 matches and I think I’ve seen 67 of them. I regard him as the greatest player of all time. It’s quite a privilege to watch him.
“I went to talk to him at the O2 the other day. He’s incredibly gracious. He’s hugely popular, he’s very forthcoming, he answers questions very candidly, his play is very graceful as well as effective, he glides around the court apparently effortlessly. And he’s a great sport. Like most great competitors he hates losing but when he does lose he’s gracious in defeat.
“I get the impression that although he’s nearer the end of his career than the beginning, I think he might be going for some while yet … while he’s still performing so well and he clearly loves it.”
