Foyle MP Mark Durkan has congratulated the new Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow.
The new Speaker was elected on Monday night after three rounds of voting by secret ballot at Westminster.
The Buckingham MP is the first Jewish person to be elected as Speaker.
Congratulating the new Speaker after the vote, Mr Durkan said: “I c
ongratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on your election. It is important that you are the first member of your religion elected to this high office, and all of us have every confidence that you will honour every pledge that you have made,” he said.
The SDLP leader said he hoped Mr Bercow would be able to reform the House after the scandal of MPs’ expenses and allowances.
“The contributions today went some way towards re-edifying the proceedings of this House, but we now have to move forward to reforming the processes of this House. It is clear that you, Mr. Speaker, have received a mandate towards that end. All the other candidates sought a mandate to that end and all party leaders have pledged themselves to that end. Let us now move to decisive, authoritative reform that means something to Members of this House and that is credible to the public,” he added.
