Calls for London universities to drop ‘bully’ John Bercow from honorary roles

John Bercow (Victoria Jones/PA)
PA Wire
Bill McLoughlin11 March 2022

A Tory MP has called on two London universities to drop John Bercow from his honorary roles after he was branded a bully in a parliamentary report.

Marco Longhi, MP for Dudley North, called on Royal Holloway and Birkbeck Universities to reconsider their association with Mr Bercow, 59, after Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel found he had bullied staff on 21 occasions.

The report described Mr Bercow as a “serial bully” of three junior colleagues during his time as Speaker from 2009 to 2019.

Following the allegations, Mr Longhi told The Standard: “John Bercow should be ashamed of himself. He has been found to have acted without shame or respect for institutions.

“The universities must now consider if they want to be associated with such a man.”

He added: “Mr Bercow has clearly brought the office and position into disrepute. If the universities don’t drop him, it shows they agree with how he has acted.”

Britain’s Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow walks through Central Lobby before Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II delivers the Queen’s Speech
AP

Mr Bercow was made a fellow at Birkbeck University in 2019 and joined Royal Holloway’s politics department as a professor in 2020.

He has denied all claims from the report and refused to apologise for the allegations made by three former staff members, while also dismissing it as “amateurish”, despite the panel being made up of barristers, a former judge and a former Lord Justice of Appeal.

The independent panel upheld 21 out of 35 complaints against him from ex-private secretaries Angus Sinclair and Kate Emms as well as former clerk Lord Lisvane.

Allegations included mimicking and undermining staff and belittling Ms Emms to such an extent that it brought her to tears.

The report concluded: “The findings of the parliamentary commissioner for standards, which we have upheld, show that the respondent has been a serial bully. His evidence in the investigations, the findings of the commissioner, and his submissions to us, show also that the respondent has been a serial liar.

“The respondent’s conduct was so serious that, had he still been a member of parliament, we would have determined that he should be expelled by resolution of the house.”

Not only did Mr Longhi call on the universities to review their ties with Mr Bercow, but he also said the former Speaker’s portrait should be removed from Parliament.

“Why would you want to be associated with anything that reminds us of him,” he said.

Mr Bercow has been suspended from the Labour party has been banned from a holding a Parliament pass for life.

In a statement, Mr Bercow 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.

“Don’t fall for the establishment spin that I have been banned for life. I can still attend debates with the help of a friendly passholder or go as a member of the public.”

A spokesperson for Royal Holloway, University of London, said: “We are aware of the outcome of the Independent Expert Panel.

“Professor John Bercow has always been fully transparent with the university regarding the inquiry. He joined Royal Holloway in January 2020 and we have had positive feedback from students who value the insight they gain from his extensive experience and knowledge of British politics.

“At Royal Holloway, we have an established, robust reporting mechanism for students or staff to raise concerns, and we provide support to those raising complaints.

“In the event that we were to receive any complaint against any member of staff, we would take immediate action.”

Birkbeck University added: “John Bercow has consistently supported lifelong learning and research excellence, which are at the heart of our work. He has also been an advocate of our world-leading research into the ways in which babies and toddlers learn and develop.

“He does not teach at Birkbeck and there is no indication he has been involved in any bullying of our staff or students in the university environment.”

“We understand the impact bullying and harassment has on its victims and take rapid and decisive action under our robust Dignity at Work and Study policy if we are made aware of it in the university environment.”

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