John Bercow ‘begged Jeremy Corbyn’ for help in getting a peerage

John Bercow ‘begged Jeremy Corbyn’ for help in getting a peerage when he was snubbed by the Tories after stepping down as Speaker

  • Leaked emails show Mr Bercow wrote his own reference for his nomination
  • He secretly met the then Labour leader’s team after the 2019 general election
  • It comes after Mr Bercow denied defection to Labour was part of a peerage ploy 


Former Speaker John Bercow sought Jeremy Corbyn’s support for a peerage after he was snubbed by Downing Street, it emerged last night.

Leaked emails show Mr Bercow wrote his own reference for his nomination and secretly met with the then Labour leader’s team in the week after the 2019 general election.

He wrote to Mr Corbyn’s office boasting of his four honorary degrees, ‘no fewer than five shadow ministerial roles’, a stint as deputy leader of the Tory group on Lambeth council – and experience as a tennis coach, The Times reported.

Leaked emails show Mr Bercow wrote his own reference for his nomination and secretly met with the then Labour leader’s team in the week after the 2019 general election

The revelations came after Mr Bercow denied that his recent defection to Labour was part of a ploy to get a peerage.

Mr Bercow was the first Speaker in living memory to not be elevated to the House of Lords when he stepped down in 2019.

He was nominated by Mr Corbyn, despite having formerly been a Conservative MP. At the time concerns were raised about bullying claims against him by former Commons officials, which he denied.

Mr Bercow served as a Conservative MP for 12 years before his election as Commons Speaker in 2009.

Mr Bercow wrote to Mr Corbyn’s office boasting of his four honorary degrees, ‘no fewer than five shadow ministerial roles’, a stint as deputy leader of the Tory group on Lambeth council – and experience as a tennis coach, The Times reported

Mr Bercow wrote to Mr Corbyn’s office boasting of his four honorary degrees, ‘no fewer than five shadow ministerial roles’, a stint as deputy leader of the Tory group on Lambeth council – and experience as a tennis coach, The Times reported

During his ten years in the chair, he made enemies among Brexit-supporting MPs who thought he was favouring Remain.

The Conservatives then enraged Mr Bercow by breaking with a long-standing convention to elevate a retiring speaker to the House of Lords.

The party switch is being seen by his enemies as an attempt to win a nomination for a peerage from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

But Mr Bercow told Sky’s Trevor Phillips On Sunday: ‘I’ve had absolutely no discussion whatsoever, either with Keir Starmer or any other member of the Labour leadership about that matter. There has been no barter, no trade, no deal whatsoever.’