Who is the Speaker and why is he so called?
Contrary to what the title would imply, the Speaker of the House of Commons does not speak – that is, he or she does not make speeches or take part in debates. The office has been held continuously since 1377 and originally the Speaker spoke on behalf of the Commons to the Monarch, hence the name. The role is now largely ceremonial and today the Speaker’s central function is to act as chairperson of the House, maintaining order in a debate. He or she may not vote other than in an official capacity – that is when the result of a vote is a tie. Even then, he or she is not allowed to express an opinion on the merits of the question under debate and must vote in such a way as to give the House another chance to decide. The Speaker has three deputies – the Chairman of Ways and Means and two other Deputy Chairmen. Like the Speaker, they can neither speak nor vote other than in their official capacity. The Speaker is neither a Minister nor a member of any political party, but he or she is sti
