The fury over Mr Bercow’s unprecedented intervention grew yesterday as Lord Fowler, who is Speaker of the Lords, said he would keep an “open mind” over allowing the US President to address MPs and peers.
Concerns have been raised that Mr Bercow – who was applauded by hard Left Labour and SNP MPs – has put a major trade deal with the US under threat just to seek publicity for himself.
The row has erupted as Leftwing MPs and activists have run a campaign to stop a State visit by Donald Trump to the UK.
Former culture secretary John Whittingdale accused the Commons Speaker of “playing to the gallery for as much publicity as possible” after he had effectively described the elected leader of Britain’s most important ally of being “racist and sexist”.
Mr Whittingdale said: "It was a performance, it was John Bercow playing to the gallery and I think it was damaging to the national interest. I think it is regrettable that he did it."
Meanwhile, Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi said Mr Bercow should now "think about" his position and explain his remarks to Parliament.
EPA/AFP
John Bercow faced calls to resign after vetoing Donald Trump's parliament address
It was a performance, it was John Bercow playing to the gallery and I think it was damaging to the national interest
John Whittingdale, Former culture secretary
data-ad-format="auto">
Mr Zahawi said the Speaker had invited Chinese President Xi Jinping despite MPs being unhappy about his policy on Tibet, and the Emir of Kuwait, which bans British dual nationals of Israeli origin, to speak in Parliament.
And Bercow received another slap down from his counterpart in the Upper Chamber, the Lords’ Speaker Lord Fowler.
In a thinly veiled rebuke to Mr Bercow, Lord Fowler pointed out that Mr Bercow had apologised for not consulting him before his controversial announcement and suggested that procedures may need to be changed to prevent a Speaker from vetoing contrversial figures addressing the Houses of Parliament.
He said there would be other leaders coming to Britain who may also be controversial.
AFP
President Donald Trump was invited to speak in Parliament
The procedure for approving speeches to Parliament meant that either the Commons or Lord Speakers could "effectively veto any proposals for a visiting leader to address Parliament, at least as far as Westminster Hall is concerned".
It was for Parliament to consider whether there was a "better way in which such decisions can be made".
There could be a situation where one of the Speakers decided he could not agree to such a speech, Lord Fowler said.
"Before we reach this point there should be at the very least some effort to reach consensus and a serious discussion of what the decision should be. I hope we can now return to that previous practice."
AFP
The House of Commons Speaker has the power to veto proposals for parliament guests
However, after receiving points of order over his behaviour and breach of his neutrality, an unrepentant Mr Bercow defended his comments telling MPs he was acting "honestly and honourably" in carrying out his responsibilities.
But Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Crispin Blunt criticised Mr Bercow's comments, saying: "He has no idea whether he will be speaking for a majority of the House of Commons, and this is why Speakers do not express their opinion.
"That's the entire point, otherwise they can't remain neutral and above the political fray."
Britain-based Republican Jan Halper-Hayes, who has reportedly advised Mr Trump's team, said the president would not care about Mr Bercow's comments or speaking in Parliament.
Being President Trump: Key Moments
Fri, February 3, 2017
Inside Donald Trump's first week in the White House.
Play slideshow
1 of 14
Trump signs an order to review the Dodd-Frank Wall Street to roll back financial regulations of the Obama era.
"I think he's definitely not concerned about what Bercow said and I think that if Theresa May invited him then he would take her guidance," she said.
"That's who the relationship is with."
Asked if Mr Trump would be worried by the furore over him speaking in Parliament, she replied: "No, I don't think that he would."
Ben Harris-Quinney, Chairman of the Bow Group think tank, said Mr Bercow had “utterly disgraced himself” with his Trump comments.
PA
MPs have called for Mr Bercow to stand down from his position
He said: “The role of the Speaker of the House is to neutrally oversee the affairs of the House, it is not, nor has ever been, to grandstand on issues of the day.
“John Bercow has unequivocally sought to influence foreign policy and diplomacy towards our closest ally, he has shown hypocrisy in others he has welcomed to Parliament and he has jeopardised a trade agreement with the United States at a crucial time.
“Just one of those failings is grounds for a motion of no confidence in his ability to acquit the role of Speaker. He has utterly disgraced himself and his country.
AFP
The House of Commons Speaker defended his comments
“I oppose almost everything Barack Obama stands for, however I would never advocate his banning from any area of Parliament or the United Kingdom.
“At a time when Britain is faced with the task and opportunity of re-defining its role in the world this behavior is particularly naive, idiotic and childish.
“If we want to be a world power again we need grown ups back in charge in
Parliament.”
The news comes as MPs revealed they are plotting to remove Bercow from his Commons role.
AFP
A group of MPs is working on a vote of no confidence in Mr Bercow
The unnamed politicians feel the Speaker could have damaged Britain's post-Brexit relations with America and potentially scuppered a trade deal.
A parliamentary source told Express.co.uk MPs are currently locked in discussions to call a vote of no confidence in Bercow.
They feel his comments put an Anglo-American trade deal in serious doubt by angering Mr Trump.
They told Express.co.uk they fear he may make additional comments in future and scupper similar deals with other nations, which Britain needs desperately after Brexit.
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Tumblr
RSS