The Oxford Guild is delighted to be hosting a very special guest, the Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, for a very exciting and topical talk from 7pm on Thursday 24th November (7th wk) in Exeter College’s Saskatchewan Lecture Theatre. THIS IS A TRULY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM SUCH A HIGH PROFILE SPEAKER AND SENIOR POLITICAN AND IT PROMISES TO BE FASCINATING AND HIGHLY TOPICAL DISCUSSION. The event is FREE AND OPEN TO ALL and IS NOT ONE TO MISS! Please REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE: http://tinyurl.com/JohnBercowGuild
In addition to speaking about keeping order amongst MPs in the House of Commons, Mr Bercow will be speaking about his own career, the challenges for the country ahead, particularly with regards to Brexit and will also be sharing insights whilst taking questions from the audience. This promises to be a truly exciting event on a very interesting and topical subject given by a well known and extremely intelligent speaker. This is sure to be not only a vastly fascinating talk but one that will offer exclusive insights from one of the most famous and recognisable senior UK politicians. These enriching views will undoubtedly benefit the world perspective of all those who attend.
This is an event that was secured many months in advance and Mr Bercow is looking forward to speaking to you all in this intimate setting. There will be an opportunity for questions and if you would like to ballot for the chance to meet Mr Bercow and speak to him directly over drinks and take photos in a private reception please email president@theoxfordguild.com ASAP.
Bercow was first elected to Parliament in the 1997 general election as a Conservative MP for Buckingham and was elected as the 157th Speaker of the House of Commons on 22nd June 2009. In 2005, Bercow won the Channel Four/Hansard Society Political Award for ‘Opposition MP of the Year’. Bercow won the Stonewall award for Politician of the Year in 2010 for his work in supporting equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. He was given a score of 100% in favour of lesbian, gay and bisexual equality by Stonewall.
He has previously been part of the Shadow Cabinet, having been appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury in September 2001, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary from July 2002 to November 2002 and Shadow Secretary of State for International Development from November 2003 to September 2004. In June 1999, he was appointed Front Bench Spokesman for Education & Employment. In July 2000, he was appointed Front Bench Spokesman for Home Affairs. He then became a member of the International Development Select Committee and served as co-Chair of the All party Parliamentary group on Burma, vice-Chair of the APG on the prevention of genocide, Africa and Sudan. He was Secretary of the All Party group on Human Rights and established the All Party group on Brain Tumours. In September 2007 he was appointed by the Government to lead a review of services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. In 2008, Bercow was asked by Labour cabinet members Ed Balls and Alan Johnson to produce a substantial review of children and families affected by speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). After the report, the government pledged £52 million to raise the profile of SLCN within the education field.Appointed to the Speaker’s Conference on Parliamentary Representation in November 2008 he became Chair of the Conference on becoming Speaker.
His election as Speaker was unusual as he received an unprecedented amount of support from a cross-section of parties, and in particular from Labour MPs (it has been suggested more from other parties than from his own). Bercow is the first Speaker who is Jewish, the first Speaker to have been elected by an exhaustive ballot, and the first Speaker not to wear traditional court robes while presiding over the House of Commons. The Speaker of the House of Commons chairs debates in the Commons Chamber and is the chief officer and highest authority of the House of Commons. The Speaker must remain politically impartial at all times. During debates the Speaker keeps order and calls MPs to speak. The Speaker also represents the Commons to the Monarch, the Lords and other authorities and chairs the House of Commons Commission.
Bercow has received great fame and popularity, particularly amongst young people, for his signature cry of ‘ORDER!’ which he uses in the House of Commons regularly – this has spawned numerous YouTube videos, mashups and memes.
This is a truly invaluable event AND NOT ONE TO MISS OUT ON!. REGISTER YOUR INTEREST USING THE FORM HERE: http://tinyurl.com/JohnBercowGuild
