House of Commons Speaker hustings 2019

Events

House of Commons Speaker hustings 2019

15 Oct 2019

On 15 October 2019, all nine original candidates to be the new Speaker of the House of Commons participated in a hustings event in Westminster, hosted jointly by the Hansard Society and The House magazine, and chaired by the BBC's Carolyn Quinn.

The event was attended by a large number of MPs, who had the opportunity to put questions to the candidates seeking their support, as well as by parliamentary and MPs' staff, and journalists. Each candidate made an opening statement about their approach to, and priorities for, the role, before taking questions.

The hustings was held three weeks before the House was to decide on the successor to John Bercow, who was stepping down after over a decade in the chair.

The 2019 event continued the Hansard Society's involvement in Speaker hustings, after the Society hosted the first-ever public Commons Speaker hustings in 2009, and then did the same for the Speakership of the House of Lords in 2016.

In 2019, the nine candidates running for the Commons Speakership at the time of the hustings, and who took part in the event, were:

Sir Henry Bellingham;
Chris Bryant;
Harriet Harman;
Meg Hillier;
Sir Lindsay Hoyle;
Dame Eleanor Laing;
Sir Edward Leigh;
Shailesh Vara; and
Dame Rosie Winterton.

Sir Henry Bellingham and Shailesh Vara withdrew from the race before the House voted on 4 November.

The hustings were recorded and broadcast by BBC Parliament.

Latest / Highlights

News / Assisted dying bill - special series #18: A conversation with the Bill’s sponsor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 115

In this episode, we are joined by Lord Falconer, the Labour Peer steering the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill through the House of Lords. Although he has attempted to legislate for assisted dying several times before, this is the first occasion he is working with a bill that has already cleared the House of Commons. In a wide-ranging conversation, he explains why this issue has driven him for more than a decade and assesses the Bill’s prospects of becoming law. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

Briefings / Assisted dying - The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Rolling news

Stay informed with updates and analysis on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill as it moves through Parliament. Learn about the debates, procedures, decisions, and key milestones shaping the assisted dying legislation.

Blog / Assisted dying bill: How does Committee Stage work in the House of Lords?

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – the Bill to legalise assisted dying – will begin its Committee Stage in the House of Lords on Friday 14 November. In this blog, we explain how Committee Stage works in the House of Lords, including how the House debates and decides on amendments, and how long this stage is likely to take.

Briefings / The assisted dying bill: A guide to the legislative process in the House of Lords

Having passed through the House of Commons, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill - the Bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales - must now go through its legislative stages in the House of Lords. This guide explains the special procedures for legislation in the House of Lords, and for Private Members’ Bills in particular. It answers some frequently asked questions, including how Peers might block the Bill, and gives an explanation of each stage of the process, from Second to Third Reading.

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 10-14 November 2025

Peers begin clause-by-clause scrutiny of the assisted dying Bill, after a Joint Committee on Human Rights evidence session on its impact on disabled people. David Lammy takes Justice questions in the Commons. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill completes its Lords stages and begins Commons ping-pong. MPs hold a Remembrance Day debate on the armed forces. Prime Minister’s Questions is followed by a Conservative Opposition Day. The Lords continue detailed scrutiny of the Border Security Bill, Tobacco and Vapes Bill, and Crime and Policing Bill and debate the Sentencing Bill for the first time. Four Secretaries of State face questions from Select Committees and Dame Antonia Romeo, the Home Office Permanent Secretary, will face scrutiny of her department’s performance.