‘Not going to happen’: Labour rules out giving John Bercow a peerage

‘Not going to happen’: Labour rules out giving John Bercow a peerage after former Speaker and Tory MP joined the party slating Boris for ‘nodding acquaintance with the truth’

  • Labour sources have dismissed the prospect of nominating John Bercow as peer
  • Ex-Speaker Mr Bercow declared on Sunday that he has joined the Labour Party   
  • The former Tory MP has flatly dismissed the idea his move was a ploy for peerage


Labour has insisted John Bercow will not be nominated for a peerage after he dramatically announced he had joined the party.

The former Speaker – who was a Tory MP before taking the chair – declared his allegiance in interviews over the weekend.

Mr Bercow accused Boris Johnson of having only a ‘nodding acquaintance with the truth’ and leading a ‘xenophobic’ government. 

But he was forced to deny that he was motivated by a desire to get into the Upper House, after the Tories broke long-standing convention by blocking him from becoming a peer. 

One senior Labour source stressed there had been no conversations between Keir Starmer and Mr Bercow.

On the idea of a peerage for Mr Bercow they said: ‘It’s not going to happen.’ 

Former Speaker John Bercow – who was a Tory MP before taking the chair – declared his allegiance in interviews over the weekend. He is pictured watching the tennis at Queen’s Club on Sunday

One senior Labour source stressed there had been no conversations between Keir Starmer (pictured) and Mr Bercow

One senior Labour source stressed there had been no conversations between Keir Starmer (pictured) and Mr Bercow

It was revealed yesterday that Mr Bercow sought Jeremy Corbyn‘s support for a peerage after he was snubbed by Downing Street.

Leaked emails show Mr Bercow wrote his own reference for his nomination and secretly met with the then Labour leader’s team in the week after the 2019 general election.

He wrote to Mr Corbyn’s office boasting of his four honorary degrees, ‘no fewer than five shadow ministerial roles’, a stint as deputy leader of the Tory group on Lambeth council – and experience as a tennis coach, according to The Times. 

The revelations came after Mr Bercow denied that his recent defection to Labour was part of a ploy to get a peerage.

Mr Bercow was the first Speaker in living memory to not be elevated to the House of Lords when he stepped down in 2019.

He was nominated by Mr Corbyn, despite having formerly been a Conservative MP. At the time concerns were raised about bullying claims against him by former Commons officials, which he denied.

Mr Bercow served as a Conservative MP for 12 years before his election as Commons Speaker in 2009.

During his ten years in the chair, he made enemies among Brexit-supporting MPs who thought he was favouring Remain.

The party switch is being seen by his enemies as an attempt to win a nomination for a peerage from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

But Mr Bercow told Sky’s Trevor Phillips On Sunday: ‘I’ve had absolutely no discussion whatsoever, either with Keir Starmer or any other member of the Labour leadership about that matter. There has been no barter, no trade, no deal whatsoever.’

Mr Bercow wrote to Jeremy Corbyn's (pictured) office writing his own reference for a peerage, according to The Times

Mr Bercow wrote to Jeremy Corbyn’s (pictured) office writing his own reference for a peerage, according to The Times