Sir, Despite Alistair Cooke (letter, Sept 5), the three main parties are unlikely to contest the Speaker’s seat in the general election. They are right not do so. The Speaker cannot campaign for fear of compromising his political neutrality.
But this means that electors in the Speaker’s constituency are disenfranchised since they play no part in the choice of a government. Is it not time to resurrect the idea of creating a special non-geographical constituency — to be called perhaps St Stephen’s — reserved for the Speaker? An MP chosen Speaker would resign his seat and automatically become MP for St Stephen’s. A by-election in the Speaker’s former constituency would enable the political views of electors to continue to be reflected.
Vernon Bogdanor
Professor of Government,
Oxford University