Former Black Rod's savage response over a peerage for John Bercow
20 January 2020, 10:29
This former Black Rod had a brutal answer to whether it was a good idea to give a peerage to John Bercow.
Jeremy Corbyn is believed to have nominated the former Speaker for a position in the House of Lords.
Lieutenant General David Leakey used to be the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, a senior role in the way the House of Lords functions, and was asked by Nick Ferrari on whether he would like Mr Bercow in the chamber.
He did not hold back in his response.
He said: "I don't think it is a good idea.
"John Bercow has done good things for tennis in this country - as Andrew Castle on LBC has said. He's championed some good causes.
"But you can't put into the House of Lords someone who has been discredited for his conduct in the House of Commons.
"Whether it is abuse, intimidation, bullying people. And there are some big items of expenditure which I don't think have been fully investigated which took place under John Bercow's watch - over £2million over five years on non-disclosure agreements to cover... what?
"My sense is that some of that money was to cover up people disclosing some of the behaviour that went on in the House of Commons."
John Bercow denies there has been any bullying or intimidating and no case has ever been mounted against him.
Watch the clip at the top of the page.
