We arrive at the great day when a new speaker is elected and what a spectacle it won’t be. Oh yes, you will see the speeches of the candidates and the new speaker being dragged to the chair. Apart from that nothing. The votes are by secret ballot and all we will have to keep us amused are pictures of the Commons chamber with MPs milling about.
In the new age of transparency what we will probably not have is a politically impartial election. Read all about it here, here and here.
The key time is 10.30, which is the cut-off for candidates to declare. Stand-by to see is if a dark-horse enters the field or whether any of the 10 candidates so far declared drops out. Each candidate must be nominated by 12 MPs from more than one party.
Let us all hope that MPs surprise us all today, defy the whips and elect a Speaker that will stand up to the executive and bring about real reform. We can live in hope.
Without the whips poking their noses in, George Young should be the one to watch. Several reasons. One is clean on expenses, has the experience to do the job and is not a Labour MP.
In truth, anything could happen and probably will with Brown and his henchmen pulling the stings. It will be brave person who puts a bet on until the runners and riders are declared later this morning.
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