John Bercow clashed with offical after trying to get his wife a front-row seat to Barack Obama speech
EX-Commons speaker John Bercow clashed with Black Rod after trying to get his wife a front-row seat for a speech by Barack Obama.
Mr Bercow’s huge row with senior official David Leakey came during planning for the then-US President’s address to Parliament.
It is understood to be revealed in a “confidential dossier” submitted to Parliamentary authorities by Mr Leakey — to prevent Mr Bercow being granted a peerage.
Mr Leakey said he experienced a “verbal Bercow-bashing” in 2011.
It came just months after Sally Bercow posed for a photo draped in a bedsheet by a hotel window with Parliament in the background.
Mr Bercow was told that even the Foreign Secretary William Hague had to sit in the second row.
The pair also had a bust-up over the visit of Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi the following year.
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Ex-British military commander Mr Leakey submitted his formal complaint last month “highlighting his bullying behaviour towards a number of
Parliamentary staff, including myself, over a period of years”.
Mr Bercow responded that Mr Leakey was in “absolutely no position whatsoever” to comment on his relationships with colleagues.
Corbyn’s peerage warning
JEREMY Corbyn was under pressure last night to withdraw his peerage nomination for ex-Speaker John Bercow.
Mr Bercow has to be stripped of any chance of receiving a seat in the Lords, a senior Tory says.
Ex-Minister James Duddridge says the decision to nominate him in the honours list was “monumentally stupid” because of bullying claims — which Mr Bercow denies.
Mr Duddridge said: “You don’t tolerate bullies because they’re politically convenient.”
Eurosceptics accused Mr Bercow of bias during his time as Speaker.
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