[inaudible discussion] order. Order. Hear, hear. Under the provisionofstanding order number 1a, im not required to ascertain whether john burko is willing to be chosen as speaker. I call mr. John burko. Hear, hear. Thank you, mr. Clark. What a pleasure it is to welcome you back to this place. Hear, hear. As you add the accolade of father of the house to the many achievements of your long and distinguished career. Next sunday, you will mark 47 Years Continuous Service to your constituency to this chamber and to our country as a whole. You are held in great affection and esteem. On both sides of the house. And im sure that i speak for all colleagues in wishing you well in your new role. If the house permits, i shall be honored to serve as speaker in this parliament, which, thankfully, across the parties, is more richly diverse. And representative of modern britain than any of its predecessors. I will strive to ensure that all parts of the house are heard fully and fairly, and as always, i Will Champion the right of back benches hear, hear. To question the probes, to scrutinize and to hold to account the government of the day. [inaudible discussion] finely, mr. Clark, i refer admiringly to your 47 year tenure. It may come as a relief to colleagues to know that i have no pretentions to seek to serve for anything like so long as havent. [laughter] either others the parliamentarian or in deed of the chair as speaker. That said, we appear to destined for testing times. I offer myself to the house as a tested speaker. Hear, hear. Thank you, mr. Bercow for those kind and flattering remarks, particularly referring, as you relettedly did to my longevity, which is about the only noncontroversial fact in my career. I call on mrs. Cheryl gibbons. I beg to know right honorable John Simon Bercow do take the chair of the house as speaker, and can i start by adding my belated congratulationses to the he took over when we sadly lost another member of the 1970 intake, the sir wellrespected sir jarred of whom the leader of the opposition said he loves life and politics and that can be said of you, too, and as mr. Rcow said, having served in all the departments of state and all the great offices throughout your long and distinguished career its a tribute to your record of Public Service and your resilience you preside over the election of a new speaker. Welcoming all of my colleagues returning to the house who are naturally familiar with the speakers role, were all pleased to Welcome New Members across all sides of the house. Hearer hear. Day hey nothing realize the Speakers Office goes back a mere 60 years. The speaker was then the agent of the king and was afforded little protection. If the agent of king offered because i news he suffered and no less than 40 speakers were beheaded. [laughter] let that be a warning to you. Fortunately the Job Description has change since then and our modern speaker protects it and our rights as back benchers, without fear of losing his head. I have so say when members misbehave in this chamber. Now compared to the house and with 47 years experience, im just a youngster in this place, but over the 25 years ive served in parliament ive seen many changes. The weeks have gone except today one for hear, hear. The ides have changed [laughter] sorry. The except one or two. [laughter] the have changed, the commit yesterdays increased extechnology advanced, the media never sleeps and the challenges of the job of the speaker continue to multiply, and having been our speaker since the 22nd of june, 2009, i have seen the right honorable members rise to those challenges and grow in this job. We have seen himself to be utterly impartial and fearless in defending the house of commons from automatic comers, whether it be over 19 ministers or a raucous media. He is a determined champion of opening up our democracy, bringing in reforms that have made Parliament Accessible to over a thousand School Children each year. He was used to office to reach out to people across the country, an energetic ambassador for parliament to the unite kingdom and around the world and also a devoted and hardworking champion for his constituents in burkinghamshire. These are not my words but the endorsement from the right honorable members, the leader of the opposition, and the Prime Minister. But my favorite endorsement is from the right honorable member for commonwealth and peckham who said on his reappoint independent 2015 that he may be small in stature but make no mistake, in the office of speaker, he is a giant. Perhaps its true good things do come in small packages. [laughter] so my own part in i have always found him to be scrupulously fair, never allowing his views to compromise his impartiality. Although i think on all sides of the house we can agree he is no stranger to controversy. He annoys both sides from time to time which is a testament to his evenhandedness. He fosters a feeling of appliesings himself to the rigor but he also has policies which many of us wonder at. His ability to recall obscure information on members, i warn you, members, of this. His loquaciousness and command of the english language and in particular, his ability to remain in the chair for an inordinate length of time. The record being an 11hour, 24minute, uninterrupted stint during the syria debate, causing much admiring comments about the strength of his bladder. Despite his performance in the championer is matched best his record outside. Her has hosted over a thousand events for charities and speakers, and preside over the administration of this place with great patience and good humor to which i can attest. This parliament, like all that have gone before, will have its own character, and present its own challenges. Over the next few years our country will good through the great changes that People Democratic votes have presented to us in this house. And at the same time we face the very real threats to that freedom and democracy and our precious way of life which has been thrown so starkly into focus with the cyber attack on our nhs, the two unspeakable acts of violence during the election campaign, the death of pcts palmer, and of course, the loss of our colleague, joe cox, who has taken from us all a year ago this week. As speaker, he has always acted swiftly, to join others with words andinging as of reassurane and i was proud to see him in manchester, Standing Shoulder to shoulder in a community that came under attack. In times like this, and in wall of deliberations in this house, we need the experience, maturity and commitment to our parliament which i believe is shown by the right honorable member from buckingham. His devotion to this house and country cannot dedisputeed. He has served this house and us as members with strength and fortitude, and i have great pleasure in commending him to the house to serve as our next speaker. Hear, hear. The question is that mr. John bercow do take the chair of this house as speaker. As many of our opinions say aye. Aye. Two to the contrary, no. I think the ayes have it. The ayes have it. [inaudible discussion] [inaudible discussion] [inaudible discussion] colleagues, before i take the chair of speaker elect i wish first to thank the house for the honor it has again bestowed upon me. Im aware that it is the greatest honor it can give to any of its members. I pray i shall justify its continuing confidence and i pre propose to do all within my power to preserve and to cherish its best traditions. I want, if i may, just to say two other things. First, and yes its a repetition but a justified repetition isnt it marvelous to see the right honorable and learned gentleman, the member for rushcliffe as father of the house and back here in rude health, and secondly in welcoming the presence of all colleagues today and congratulating all those in all parties who have been reelected. I hope experienced members will understand if i pay particular tribute to the, i believe, 87 members newly elected for the first time. Hear, hear. Whatever else you have done or will do in the course of your careers, there will be no greater honor than that which you have just attained as an elected member of parliament. And im sure each and every one of you will be very conscious of your responsibility to your constituents. Rest assure the speaker will look out for you and be very keen, sooner rather than later. And more frequently rather than less frequently to hear from you. Mr. Speakerelect. Mr. Speakerelect. More representative of all the people we serve so while there is further to go, if there is one outcome from this election we can all welcome, it is surely this. That today we have the most diverse and most Representative Parliament in our history. Hear, hear. Mr. Speaker elect, i know that members across the house will also want to pay tribute to their predecessors and well all miss former members not returned to the house but we welcome new colleagues. Being a member of this house is a great privilege that requires dedication and often personal sacrifice, and everyone in this chamber does it because they want to serve the public. Whatever the result, general elects are above all an exercise in democracy and our values. The very democracy and values that the recent terror attacks south sought to undermine. This is the first team the parliament has been able to reflect on the terrible attacks and all members on all sided want to join me in sending our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lot of lost their lives in the attacks and house wants to express admiration for the extraordinary work of our police and Emergency Services whose courage and speed of response saved many lives. As we begin this new parliament, it is clear that our country faces some of the greatest challenges of our time, the challenge of keeping our nation safe including by defeating slam just victim interiors, the brexit and the will of the english people and the challenge of spending opportunity and prosperity to the United Kingdom so no one and no community is left behind. In meeting these challenges what we have seen from the election is that there are parts of our country that remain divided, divided between young and old, rich and poor, those for whom the future offers a sense of opportunity and those for mom it brings worry and concern. Some people blame politics for these divisions or say there is too much politics, but politics can be an incredible force for good, conducted in the right way it can be how we resolve our differences, how we deal with injustice. Its not always glamorous or exciting but at its best our duty to serve others in confronting challenges is a noble calling for us a all and the test for all of us is whether we choose to reflect divisions or help the country overcome them. So let us choose in this parliament to conduct ourselves in a manner fitting to this moment to debate, disagree, but we recognize to recognize we all want to see a britain that is stronger, fairer, and safe and secure for our children and grandchildren. Hear, hear. And that our shared values, interests and ambitions can and must bring us together, as we face difficult challenges ahead, let us come together in a spirit of National Unity to keep our country safe and build a stronger, fairer and more prosperous future for everyone in every part of our United Kingdom. Hear, hear. Thank you. I call the leader of the opposition. Hear, hear. Mr. Speaker, thank you very much and i follow the Prime Minister in the remark she is made about the importance of the work we all have to do in this parliament and our comeback to that in a moment. Firstly i want to congratulate the honorable member from rushcliffen becoming father to the house. Seemed to be a wellestablish end mp when i entered the house 34 years ago and never quite fort goning the image of the member in the tea room, wearing hushes puppies, drinking lager and carrying a cigar while taking a break from a debate on healthy living. [laughter] and he has had a very long and distinguished career in this house, and punctuated this year by speech in the Brexit Debate during which he lamented that his Party Opposite had become mildly antiimmigrant. How new a development that might be is open to debate but its also to put it generously at best antiworker and antidiffer abled people and antioutcome person as well. Exterior be so divide here sorry to be so divisive here today but its hard. Its hard. Mr. Speaker, it is customary on these occasions to congratulate the returning Prime Minister on an absolutely do so. I congratulate her on returning, and im sure he will agree with me that democracy is a wonderous thing and can show up with unexpected results. And im sure we all look forward to welcoming the queens speech just as soon as the core coronation of chaos has been negotiated and just let the house know and the nation know that if thats not possible, the labor party is ready to offer strong [shouting] interest. I want to warmly welcome, mr. Speaker, all new members to the house. There is, no greater honor than being elected commute is an amazing day when your first come and take your seat here. Making decisionses that help peoples lives. Thats white were elected their represent those who have put us their try to make their lives better. And you quite rightly pointed out, as did the Prime Minister, we now have over 200 women mps, more than ever before in the history of the parliament and that is an excellent thing and i join the Prime Minister in congratulating my friend and all she has done to promote women in parliament and womens careers in general. Mr. Speaker, this weekend, marks the anniversary of the election of four black mps to the house of commons 30 years ago. The first black mp for more than 60 years in the british parliament. And in particular, i welcome my right honorable friends. Those who are two of the four who were elected in 1987 who are now members of the most diverse house of commons ever. They paved the way, and i have to say, they put up with an awful lot by being pioneers in taking their seats in 1987. It is vital for our democracy that all voices are heard and represented. Mr. Speaker, there can be no better speaker than you in the 30 years eve been here because you always ensured that back bench voices are heard and the way you presided over our chamber, the good, the beside, the tragic and the difficult, particularly the way in which you presided over the chamber after the horrors of what happened on Westminster Bridge when they almost came to the door of parliament and while parliament has not been in session we also commemorate the awfulness of what happened in manchester and what happened on london bridge. We have to stand together as communities, strong, united, against those that would seek to divide and destroy the democracy we have in our society. I can congratulate you on the way in which you have conducted yourself in the clues civil debates you inclusive debates you make sure the become benches back benches are heard from. We have two things in common, our love for the football club. I realize that would bring that sort of comment but i can cope. Its all right. And secondly, we both came to this place having been local counselorrors and i think serving communities is very important and im delighted at the number of former counselors or serving counselors who were elected on thursday night because they also bring a very special expertise and knowledge to this house. We have to speak up for our constituents and that is why were here and i know mr. Speaker you will make sure those voices are heard. I want to thank you for your role as speaker in facilitating exhibitions in this house. I took part in one on commemorating the end of the slave trade, and many sessions s you have held, charities in the speakers house and also the way in which you traveled around the country, reaching out and spreading the whole idea of democracy in schools and colleges, not necessarily famous, not necessarily wellknown put reached out to people in a way never anyone known before and we should all be very grateful to you for that. You wont be troubled by Party Politics anymore because youre in chair, and it is in the great tradition of democracy and you stand in that tradition of a speaker standing up to democracy. There is a commemoration to speaker. Your job was to protect gemcracy and rise above party debate. Hope we can have the real debate in the future. We look forward to this parliament, however short it might be. That we can be the voice for change in our society, because more people, particularly young people, than ever before, took part in this recent general election. They took part because they wanted to see things done differently in our society. They wanted our parliament to represent them, and to deliver change for them, and i am looking forward to this parliament, like no other parliament every before to challenge and hopefully bring about the change. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Hear, hear. Thank you, mr. Stewart haysy. With the words of the Prime Minister in her condolences to those who lot of their lives in manchester and london and to pay tribute to the Emergency Services, its we do that as our democracy process was affected twice in a short campaign. Can i also add, say that we will miss many of those who have lost the seats from all parts of the house, while we welcome all of the new members from all of the parties. There are some big beasts who are gone and well miss this sooner rather than litter. I must also agree with the Prime Minister, politics are not divisive and thats important. Whether we take a different view on the constitution, on brexit, on social policy, on tax and spend, these are simply the different opinions of political opponents, not enemies, and if we can reflect a little more respect across all the parties that would do this house and politics a great deal mr. Speaker may if congratulate you. We have always seen you as a champion ensuring that all of the voices across and indeed within the parties are properly held and having sat with you on a commission you have shown yourself to be incredibly diligent, an attention to detail in way the building of