MP for North West Cambridgeshire joins race to become next speaker
Shailesh Vara has revealed he wil join the race to be the next Speaker of The House of Commons - Credit: Archant
The MP for North West Cambridgeshire has confirmed he will join the race to succeed John Bercow as Speaker of the House of Commons.
Shailesh Vara has told the Hunts Post he believes he has the "necessary experience" to take on the role.
Mr Vara said: "The role of speaker is vital to our democracy. There are many challenges ahead and I believe I have the necessary experience to lead the way having served in a variety of roles in parliament.
"These include serving on the House of Commons administration committee, the finance and services committee as well as being on the front bench and, of course, being a backbencher."
The current speaker, John Bercow, has announced that he will step down at the next election, or on October 31, which is first.
Mr Bercow has been the speaker since 2009 and MP for Buckingham since 1997.
The new speaker will be elected by MPs in a secret ballot once they are given a list of candidates.
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If any candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the votes then they will automatically take the chair as speaker.
If no candidate receives at least half of the votes, the candidates with the fewest votes, and those with less than five percent of the vote, will be eliminated.
MPs then vote again and continue doing so until one candidate receives more than half the votes. The vote is likely to take place in October.
