BBC News Updated every minute of every day

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 10:01 GMT 11:01 UK

who cares !!

JON WHITE, WREXHAM

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:58 GMT 10:58 UK

Bercow was most likely chosen because he as a loud booming voice. Also being speaker means he cannot embarrass himself and his party from the benches. Give the man a chance!

Hazel, Erith, Kent

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:58 GMT 10:58 UK

I feel they should have chosen someone who has leadership qualities and a strong personality. Bercow however has none of those qualities. He was voted into the job as a political statement by the New Labour party and he will never have the respect of the whole house. Anyone who saw his interview on tv would have noticed by his body language that he was frightened and on the defensive right from the start. He also has been involved in expenses irregularities. He will be replaced

[dfspace]

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:57 GMT 10:57 UK

Parliament needs to be abolished and democracy as opposed to anarchy needs to be established. These politicians do what they want, when we they want, with who they want and don’t give a hoot about anyone, will not be governed and are anarchists living in a dream world. If that’s what you vote for then more fool you.

zed walker, lancaster

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:57 GMT 10:57 UK

I think that John Bercow is certainly saying the right things and it is great to see someone younger and with energy and new ideas sitting in the Speaker's chair. Good to see John has cast off the traditional tights, etc, he should noe get rid of the gown as well!

Bill, Stafford

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:54 GMT 10:54 UK

Didn’t he fiddle his expenses claims?

Paul, Oxford

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:51 GMT 10:51 UK

I hope he can now get on and do a good job. He was a terrible choice, but we all know why he was chosen. It's now time for him to show how wrong we were about him and do a great job.
He is a peacock who likes the sound of his own voice so no surprise he is the first speaker to do a whole wave of TV appearances and interviews. Doesn't bode well does it? The Speaker has limited powers in the House so don't be fooled by the MPs who say it's all OK now, actions speak louder than words

[spartans11]

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:46 GMT 10:46 UK

John Bercow - the right person for the post - why not?. Every member of parliament who voted knew that the actions of the new speaker would be their best chance of fighting for re-election on party policies rather than the quality of their expenses claims.

We can make our judgement when the general election comes until then lets make sure that we get parliament and government to focus on the economic and social management of the country. That's what they need to get right.

peter Walker, London

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:43 GMT 10:43 UK

Now that John Bercow has been elected, I don't think it matters if we believe him to be the right person. What is more important is whether he has the will and intention to restore public confidence in the office of speaker and Parliament.

If he can shake off his allegiance (tenuous as it may be) to the Conservative party and his supposed sympathies with Labour, he has an opportunity to bring back some credibility to our political process.

He has a unique opportunity - will he grasp it?

Jim Thompson, Rayleigh

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:43 GMT 10:43 UK

1 Why does the Speaker have to be an M.P. ?
2 Why should MPs choose the Speaker?
3 How can the Speaker justify the ludicrously high salary and pension especially at a time of financial crisis and pensions meltdown?Mike, Coventry

1. Only an experienced MP would know how to begin that job.
2. Because MPs are the ones s/he has to lead, guide and control
3. Because by todays standards, regrettably, £141k's not massive for a high profile job. As for the pension, your guess is as good as mine

[deanarabin], London, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:37 GMT 10:37 UK

Now tell me that Westminster is not totally corrupt.
It proves the point when the peoples choice overwhelmingly was Anne Wid.
Until Westminster and Parliament start listening to the people and acting accordingly, you'll find the credibility of them in the gutter, where to be frank they actually belong. The MP's have made a laughing stock of British law too, they should be expelled from the country.

Bring on the revolution I say.

Westminster Mafia-no thanks, Brizzle, United Kingdom

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:35 GMT 10:35 UK

I think this is a non issue, before the currrent speaker was elected he along with other candidates were vetted and it was obvious from the start that any one of them could be voted in as speaker. So the MPs complaining should do us all a big favour by keeping quiet and letting the man do his job else they run the risk of once again ridiculing British politics by treating it as some private members only club.

olu, stevenage

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:35 GMT 10:35 UK

To appoint John Bercow as speaker is like putting Dracula in charge of a blood bank. So many MPs have sucked the tax payer of well earned, honest money - and we've got a 'flipper' to clean up the system! This is yet another example of how out of touch MPs are with the electorate. Perhaps we're all suckers to tolerate such a situation. It's time for voters to bite back!

Andrew Lunn, Woking

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:34 GMT 10:34 UK

No.

Will MPs never learn? Regardless of paying lip-service and the posturing about 'transparency' and cleaning up of Parliament, we end up with a 'flipping' Speaker who thinks we, the voters, believe most MPs are decent and honest! Most MPs are NOT decent and honest, but self-serving and grasping. What they can't get in one allowance, they will get in another.

What a pity we couldn't have one of the untainted MPs as Speaker.

Slaney D, Gloucestershire

Added: Wednesday, 24 June, 2009, 09:34 GMT 10:34 UK

Absolute rubbish, however on a good note 646 MPs have proven to the British nation, that they do not, listen, care, or anything about the electorate. They are further out of touch from reality than even in my own cynical way I thought. People are angry he said in his opening speech, Wrong!
They are incandescent with rage! First they overstate, then they undestate, they will regret that remark!

[shortyandthefuzz], southampton, United Kingdom