Some people think our parliament gets rough. We have a Westminster system but are positively gentle compared with them. Our speaker has tried hard to get John Key to address the chair but has to date been unsuccesful. But to be fair to Key he hasn’t gone this far in his response . :-
By KIRSTY WALKER
Last updated at 12:20 AM on 30th June 2010A minister was involved in an extraordinary public spat yesterday after branding Commons speaker John Bercow a ’stupid, sanctimonious dwarf’.
Simon Burns stunned MPs and angered Mr Bercow’s wife Sally with the insult, which came during health questions in the Commons.
The Health Minister was also last night facing calls to apologise from dwarfism charities, who said his remarks were ‘derogatory and offensive’.
Mr Burns’s comments came after Mr Bercow twice asked him to address the despatch box rather than Government backbenchers.
The Speaker pointed out that other ministers had been similarly warned and had managed to fully ‘understand’ the instruction.
Apparently enraged by the reprimand, Mr Burns shook his head and mouthed the words ’stupid, sanctimonious dwarf’ at the Speaker, who claims to be 5ft 6in.
At the same time, the minister ostentatiously lowered his hand to indicate Mr Bercow’s short stature.
The minister has made no secret in the past of his loathing for Mr Bercow and was one of the few MPs to refuse to shake his hand when he took the oath.
Mr Burns was rebuked by the Speaker after turning to answer a question from Liberal Democrat Duncan Hames.
With several Labour MPs shouting that they could not hear, Mr Bercow said: ‘I have just had Members complaining that they can’t hear. You must face the House - it’s a very simple point, I have made it to others and they have understood it.’
RRRRRRRR!
I always feel a little sorry for them when I see their seating arrangements, so cramped, such close proximity.
I’m surprised it has taken this long for a comment to come out in the house. Bercow has been an awful speaker, incredibly bias and loathed by MPs on all sides.
that is not the point – certain standards are expected and there was no excuse for this pathetic behaviour – he was lucky not to be “named”, ie thrown out for a spell
I suppose you couldn’t in all honest describe Lockie as a “stupid sanctimonious dwarf” – he is nearly six foot after all.