‘Calm, kind’ Sir Lindsay Hoyle chosen as new UK Speaker

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, named after Aussie cricketer Lindsay Hassett, promised to tame parliament.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle is the new Speaker of the House of Commons. Picture: AFP.

His style is pleasant, fair and calm. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Lancashire Labour politician, has been elected Speaker of the House of Commons, and his demeanour is a stark contrast to the theatrical presentation of his predecessor John Bercow.

Sir Lindsay – who was named after the Australian cricketer Lindsay Hassett – has promised to tame the bear pit of parliament and insist on protocol and procedure.

After the tumultuous and controversial tenure of Mr Bercow, Sir Lindsay was a safe choice and he won the position after four rounds of voting by MPs, who decided to go for the candidate who they knew best. Sir Lindsay has been Deputy Speaker and the chair of the Ways and Means Committee for nine years and over that time had deputised for Mr Bercow for several hours each day.

READ MORE: Bercow blocks vote on Boris’ deal | Bercow draws curtain on theatre of absurd | Bercow on collision course with Queen, government | UK in constitutional crisis

Sir Lindsay beat another Labour MP, Chris Bryant, in the final round 325 to 213 votes and, following protocol that goes back more than seven centuries, he was then dragged to the Speaker’s chair by other MPs.

John Bercow leaves the chamber on his final day as Speaker of the House. Picture: AP.

This enacted reluctance to take to the chair represents an historic aspect of the job to inform the monarch of parliament’s opinions. In centuries past the Speaker could lose his head if the message wasn’t well received. Seven speakers were executed by beheading between 1394 and 1535.

Mr Bercow stood down as Speaker last Friday and Sir Lindsay is likely to oversee only one day of parliament before it is suspended for the December 12 general election.

Sir Lindsay, 62, told parliament before the vote: “The person who walked through that door yesterday is just as important to their constituents – their voice must be heard as well – and the pecking order ought not to be there, it is about equality.’’ He has also vowed to continue his work to improve safety for MPs and staff who work in and around parliament.

As the MP for Chorley since 1997, Sir Lindsay comes from a political family. His father Doug was a Labour MP for Warrington North before becoming a Labour peer and his mother Lynda served on the local council in the early 1970s.

Sir Lindsay ran a textile business in Chorley and was on the local council before standing as the local MP in the 1997 election. He has also had to overcome tragedy in his life: his 28- year-old daughter Natalie died suddenly in November 2017. Sir Lindsay mentioned his daughter in his victory speech saying: “We all miss her, no more so than her mum, she was everything to all of us’’.

He also said: “I stand firm in my hope this House will be a great respected House, not just here but across the world.’’

Earlier this year Sir Lindsay described his style to the The House magazine: “It’s about having humour, the skills and the ability to hold the House, and it’s about getting the temperature right … it’s about complete fairness and independence.’’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated the Speaker and observed: “I believe you also bring your signature kindness and reasonableness to our proceedings’’.