John Bercow Quotations

Possibly the fact that I was physically quite feeble, a relatively short little fellow, attracted me to that idea of a very authoritative and aggressive version of Conservative politics.

I don't think that people are disinterested or uninterested in politics. I think very often they are disengaged from the formal political process. To some extent they are suspicious or even despairing of formal politics as a means to give expression and effect to what they want.

There is no denying or hiding the fact that over the years I moved from well on the right of the Conservative Party, much much more to its left, and therefore to the centre of the poltical spectrum.

He is the Tory who can reach beyond the Tory tribe and take us back into government.

I said that if I hadn't been a politician, I'd have liked to be a barrister, or an academic. My beloved wife said: 'You'd be a very good barrister and a hopeless academic.' I said 'Why?' She said: 'Because you're not an original thinker.'

I think the state opening of Parliament is an incredibly important occasion, and broadly speaking, the way in which it's done is an invaluable tradition.

I was proud to be a Tory Member of Parliament for twelve years, proud to represent Buckingham as a Tory, proud to have voted with my party 99% of the time as the record shows.

Ann and I have a lot in common,

A lot of our members will be extremely disappointed that they will not have a chance to vote for Ken. For him to be eliminated in the first round sends a very sad and worrying signal to the electorate. Some people simply can't accept being led by someone committed to Europe. The party has to decide whether it wants to win or not.

But you might have been promoted by then!

I do strongly believe myself that members of the government who sit in the House of Lords should be accountable to the elected House because otherwise there is a democratic deficit, and that is wrong.

I am seeking every day to restore faith in Parliament - to ensure we have a House of Commons which is representative, effective and reconnected to the people we serve.

I'm not psychic. I cannot know what is in the mind of particular public figures.

I'm not in the business of warning people.

I think the record shows that as Speaker, I have taken the lead in cleaning up politics.

I pride myself on being courteous to people, and trying to fashion good relations.

I never aspired to be Speaker simply so I could say, 'I am the Speaker of the House of Commons,' and tell my children that.

I don't want to crawl over the entrails of past disputes.

For far too long the House of Commons has been run as little more than a private club by and for gentleman amateurs.

Even youngish men can acquire wisdom as time goes by.

Fairness is not about statistical equality.

There's no point in worrying about things you can't influence.

I'm supremely uninterested as to what is written in many of the newspapers.

I've never been much given to little social cliques.

If someone is being very cheeky, it can be quite fun to deal with that situation.

When I first started out in politics I was, what you might describe as, a hard right Conservative.

There are people who are just very, very sniffy and snobby and have always sort of looked down their noses at me.

The prime minister's job is to captain his team, his party and his government.

Sally is my wife, but not my chattel or my property.

One consistent thing in an otherwise inconsistent career is that I've always been passionate about parliament.

Lying to a committee is a very grave abuse, and there ought to be a clear punishment.

It is quite wrong for party conferences to be used as an excuse for the Commons not to sit. Conferences could be held at weekends.

If you asked me if I'd rather be Speaker or a very senior minister, I'd say Speaker.

A legislature cannot be effective while suffering from public scorn.

It's a cowardly form of politics to use my spouse to beat me.

The Conservatives must realise that being sceptical is different from being phobic in what is an interdependent world.