Sky News Presenter Calls Out 'Passive Aggressive' John Bercow
A Sky News presenter called out John Bercow for being “passive aggressive” after he came on her show to defend himself over bullying allegations.
The former House of Commons speaker hit the headlines on Tuesday after a watchdog branded him a “serial liar” and banned from holding a pass to Parliament.
HuffPost UK also understands Bercow is administratively suspended from the Labour Party after the report found him to be a “serial bully”.
He went on Sky News in a bid to clear his name, but came under fire during a brusque exchange with presenter Sarah-Jane Mee.
Former Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow claims there is "no serious evidence" of him bullying House of Commons staff.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 8, 2022
A report published by the Independent Expert Panel into his conduct claims he was "a serial bully" - which he denies.https://t.co/nDtAUUsZY9pic.twitter.com/UERS0AhQcW
Bercow claimed “huge swathes of evidence” were ignored by the independent expert panel that focused on “hearsay”.
When Mee put it to him the findings were supported by evidence, notebook entries and witnesses, he replied: “Well, you’re just reading from the report, which of course Sarah-Jane you’re absolutely entitled to...”
She replied: “I’m putting those points to you.”
Bercow added: “Yes, and if you’d be kind enough to allow me to reply, I will.
“Thank you. The answer is that...”
Mee interjected: “OK I feel like we are getting into passive aggressive which I don’t want to, so please continue.”
Bercow replied: “No we’re not getting into any passive aggressive territory as far as I’m concerned.”
HuffPost UK understands Bercow is currently under investigation by the Labour Party which will make a decision on his future membership.
The former Tory MP switched to Labour two years after quitting as speaker in 2019.
Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel backed a decision by parliamentary standards commissioner Kathryn Stone to uphold 21 allegations against Bercow from three complainants, all House staff at the time, relating to the period 2009 to 2014.
Bercow had appealed against the commissioner’s findings to the independent panel but it upheld her verdicts without exception.
It comes after former Commons leader Dame Andrea Leadsom called on Sir Keir Starmer to expel Bercow.
In an official statement, Bercow hit back saying the investigation was a “travesty of justice” and described it as “amateurish”.
He said: “Parliament is supposed to be the highest court in the land. This inquiry, which lasted a ghastly 22 months at great cost to the taxpayer, has failed it dismally.
“At the end of it, the panel has simply said that I should be denied a parliamentary pass which I have never applied for and do not want. That is the absurdity of its position.”