ELECTION OF SPEAKER

Early day motion 1021, tabled 25 July 2000 by Maria Fyfe (Labour). Signed by 64 members.

That this House is pleased to note that several worthy candidates' names are being considered by honourable and Right honourable Members for election as Speaker; believing it should have the greatest possible freedom of choice of Speaker, disagrees with the opinion of the then Select Committee on Procedure in 1996 that no change was needed to the voting system; further believes that the fairest system would be an eliminatory ballot; and is confident that it is easily within the competence of the current Select Committee to bring forward proposals for such a system which would avoid the over-lengthy procedures described in its predecessor's 1996 Report, especially when other legislatures have already done so.

Signatures by party: Labour 40, Liberal Democrat 14, Conservative 4, Labour/Co-operative 3, Scottish National Party 3.