Now YOU pay for Bercow to show off in the US: House of Commons Speaker will fly to Washington DC to deliver a speech about his role in Brexit at taxpayers' expense

  • John Bercow will fly to the US to boost his global profile at taxpayers’ expense 
  • He will visit US capital Washington DC to deliver a speech about his role in Brexit
  • His stewarding of tense Brexit showdowns has earned him international acclaim

John Bercow will fly to the US next week to boost his global profile at taxpayers’ expense, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The controversial House of Commons Speaker, who has abandoned his plan to step down this summer, will visit US capital Washington DC to deliver a speech about his role in Brexit.

Mr Bercow has enraged the Government and former Conservative colleagues who accuse him of ripping up ancient Commons rules in a bid to stop Britain leaving the EU. 

John Bercow will fly to the US next week to boost his global profile at taxpayers¿ expense, The Mail on Sunday can reveal

John Bercow will fly to the US next week to boost his global profile at taxpayers’ expense, The Mail on Sunday can reveal

But his stewarding of tense Brexit showdowns has also earned him an international acclaim after videos of him shouting his trademark ‘order, order’ at rowdy MPs delighted foreign media. 

Mr Bercow’s team last night said the ‘interest in the Brexit debates is global’ and insisted he would not be demanding a fee for his speech but admitted the costs of flights and hotels will come from the public purse.

They confirmed he will address think-tank the Brookings Institution ‘about the parliamentary process and his role as Speaker’ in a formal capacity and will also address America Evolution, a group that celebrates US democracy, on his trip.

But critics claim the trip is designed to line up lucrative speaking engagements when he finally steps down as Speaker after ten years in the job. 

It is understood that the trip had originally been planned for the Easter recess but the continued Brexit deadlock in the Commons meant it had to be delayed. It will now take place during the Whitsun break from May 23 to June 4.

Mr Bercow said he would step down after Britain’s planned exit day on March 29 but when that was delayed, his departure date was also pushed back. As The MoS revealed, he was persuaded to stay in the job by Remain-backing MPs to help thwart Brexit.

In November, he declared a £6,000 all-expenses paid trip to Hong Kong as part of his unpaid second job as Chancellor of the University of Essex. 

Last night Tory MP James Duddridge urged the Speaker to resign. He said: ¿The umpire cannot be a player, so if he wants to pontificate on Brexit he needs stand down.¿

Last night Tory MP James Duddridge urged the Speaker to resign. He said: ‘The umpire cannot be a player, so if he wants to pontificate on Brexit he needs stand down.’

But insiders claim that Mr Bercow is particularly keen for publicity in the US, with one eye on his future career. 

A speaking agent said: ‘He will have a good couple of months on the speaking circuit on the back of his anti-Trump and Brexit stuff but he will have to move quickly as your shelf life is very short in that world.’

The industry expert added that Mr Bercow would probably be snapped up by the Harry Walker Agency, whose clients include Barack Obama, or the Washington Speaker’s Agency, which has signed up former PM Tony Blair.

Last night Tory MP James Duddridge urged the Speaker to resign. He said: ‘The umpire cannot be a player, so if he wants to pontificate on Brexit he needs stand down.’ 

And fellow Conservative David Morris added: ‘After perverting the course of Brexit, now John Bercow looks to be gearing up to feather his nest on the back of it.’

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