MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tory named Speaker of the House of Commons

Mr. “clean-break” promised a period of change and reform

Britain’s opposition Conservative Member of Parliament Tory John Bercow won the race to replace Michael Martin as Speaker of the House of Commons. Mr Bercow, MP for Buckingham, topped all three secret ballots - beating his only challenger in the third round, Sir George Young - by 51 votes.

The self-styled “clean-break” candidate, who secured victory after promising a period of change and reform, thanked MPs for bestowing “the greatest honour that I have enjoyed in my professional life”.

He succeeds Mr Martin, who last week became the first Speaker in 300 years forced to step down because of his handling of the expenses scandal.

Voting in the third and final ballot - after all the other contenders had been eliminated or dropped out - was 322 for Mr Bercow and 271 for Tory former Cabinet minister Sir George.

Cheers and applause broke out in the Commons chamber when the result was announced.

In keeping with tradition, Mr Bercow was 'reluctantly dragged' to the Speaker's chair by his supporters.

Taking the chair, Mr Bercow, 46, said: “We need to reform” but added that the “vast majority of Members of this House are upright, decent, honourable people.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the election of a new Speaker was an “important step” in the “process of change”. He added: “Undoubtedly the road ahead will not be easy” but under Mr Bercow the Commons was on the “path to renewal”.