Speaker John Bercow has announced he is standing down after Tory threats to stand against him in an election.
Business secretary Andrea Leadsom accused the Speaker in the Mail on Sunday of “flagrant abuse” of process, saying Mr Bercow had “failed” in his role.
Breaching convention, the party plans to oppose Mr Bercow in his Buckingham constituency at the next election.
In a statement in the House of Commons Mr Bercow said if MPs voted for an election later tonight he would stand down.
If they did not he announced he would stand down on October 31 – the date Britain is supposed to leave the EU.
Before becoming Speaker ten years ago, Mr Bercow was the Tory MP for Buckingham with a majority of more than 18,000.
David Lammy said “no one has stood up for Parliamentary sovereignty as effectively as John Bercow over the past few years” following the announcement, calling him “a true protector of our democracy”.
Hilary Benn said he will “come to be seen as one of the great reforming speakers”.
Watch his personal announcement below:
BREAKING: House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow announces, if MPs vote for a general election tonight, he will stand down.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 9, 2019
If there is no election, Bercow says he will stay in post until 31 October – the current Brexit deadline.
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