Former Tory MP and Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow said he had changed allegiance to join the Labor Party.
Mr Bercow, who stepped down as president in 2019, said he viewed Boris Johnson’s Tories as “reactionary, populist, nationalist and at times even xenophobic”.
“I am motivated by supporting equality, social justice and internationalism. This is the Labor brand,” he told The Observer.
“The conclusion I have come to is that this government must be replaced.
“The reality is that the Labor Party is the only vehicle that can achieve this goal.
“There is no other credible option.”
Mr Bercow said he had joined the Labor Party in recent weeks.
He was a Tory MP for Buckingham from 1997 until he was elected president in 2009, but his career has been hampered by allegations of staff intimidation, accusations he has consistently denied.
Brexiteers in Parliament also believed a number of his decisions as president favored the Rest side of the Brexit debate.
He announced in September 2019 that he would step down and stepped down from the Speaker’s chair a month later.
The Labor leader’s office declined to comment on Mr Bercow’s membership in the party, but shadow justice minister Karl Turner said he was not surprised but “delighted” that his “friend” had joined the Labor Party.
On the Tory side, however, Pensions Minister Guy Opperman said: “Labor is welcome in Bercow.
A senior government source said: “This will come as no surprise and shows that Labor is still Remain’s party.”
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-19 18:56:00
