Ann Widdecome wants to be speaker...

[Tambajam]

...that feels wrong to me. At least she hasn't been muddied by the expenses thing unlike Margaret 'dodgy second home claim' Beckett.
Feel odd about going into the modern era with an anti-homosexual speaker though. Would she give homosexual mps equal rights? You wouldn't have an openly racist speaker, would you?

I loathe a lot of Ann's political ideals, but as a politician, I think she has integrity and I admire her for that...if that makes any sense at all....
I suppose it's like my uber-conservative mother having a soft spot for Tony Benn because of his integrity....

I like her but mainly because she was my local MP and sorted mt tax credits fiasco out (I'd been trying for 2 years with no luck) and within 4 weeks of me emailing her I had £1750 back

she would be great
politics needs big personalities
best of luck to her

Hmm. I think MPs would like her as they have a thing for bossy women (see Betty Boothroyd). House is full of ex-public schoolboys with fond memories of 'Nanny'.

Would she be able to put her prejudices to one side and manage a debate about, for instance, abortion rights or if the Tries tried to bring back section 28, fairly?

She would be far far better than the loathsome Margaret 'you don't understand how hard it is to be a politician' Beckett.

When did Margaret say that? (Genuine question, just haven't seen it.)

it was around 3 - 4 weeks ago when she graced the panel of Question Time with her venerated presence: one of the audience asked her about apologising for expenses fiddles or whether she would be returning money and her response was A) no and B) you people have no idea how hard and complicated these politicians' lives are and the expenses business is all a bit beyond the proletariat

or words to that effect!

you might be able to get it on iplayer. If you do, can you link it please as I'd like to see it again as well!

I think she would be fantastic; the next Betty Boothroyd. Far better than Margaret Beckett (or any of the others).

I'm not sure that Ann Widdecombe is homophobic per se, I think she has firmly held views but I don't think they impact on her ability to do the job.

"News Online: Given your views on homosexuality, would you be comfortable serving in a government under a prime minister who had admitted to having homosexual relationships?

A: I think we have to look at the facts of life. I have spent most of my time in politics serving on committees and I was working with people whose heterosexual practices I didn't approve of or whose homosexuals practices I didn't approve of.

There is nothing new in that. I don't judge people by their private lives. I think if I've got a view on the moral content I don't judge people on that, I judge people by their politics and of course by the electorate.

I take a view that we should promote the traditional family as the preferred social model. I have never suggested for one moment that we should persecute or outlaw other models, merely that we promote the preferred model, which would be the traditional family. I stand by that view absolutely.

As I say though throughout my life from time to time I've sometimes had to work with people who take a different view.

I will always serve any prime minister the Tory Party elects, quite regardless of whether I think that election is sensible or not. I have always been loyal to people. I was extremely loyal to John Major and I believe you respect the decision of the party.

If we're all going to around second guessing the party then we will never actually have our eyes focused on the bigger picture.

News Online: Do you think the Conservatives and the country also would be ready to elect a homosexual prime minister?

A: That's for them to decide. I cannot second guess that either. "

Edam and Donnie

Here at about 2.40

Ann Widecombe voted for the Bill that would have exempted MPs from Freedom of Information. That was not a whipped vote, it was her choice. She actively voted against us having access to the expenses information.

Then, when the expenses scandal broke, she whored herself around every media outlet acting whiter than white. IMO she has no integrity and should retire from the Commons as she has promised to do.

Apparently the MPs' justification for exempting themselves was to protect correspondence relating to constituents?

Here are her votes
www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpid=1701&dmp=996

the critical vote was the amendment to include expenses while exempting everything else. However only a handful of MPs were in Parliament for that one, both Lib Dems were in favour, 1 out of 12 Tories, and 4 out of 39 Labour MPs.

Still Frank Field does have a better record on transparency.

I think she would be excellent, as would Frank Field.

It's tricky because it was always the custom to have a Speaker from the opposition benches; and it seems likely that there will be a change of government within a year, so who to choose?

that is not true, the speaker was usually chosen from the government benches; Boothroyd was an exception.