John Bercow is ousted—but the government will not choose his successor

JOHN BERCOW was tearful when he announced his decision to retire on October 31st, or at a general election if that comes sooner. But as a connoisseur of political theatre he must have relished the rest of the day. MPs spent much of it singing his praises, sometimes in the most unctuous terms. Then at 2.30am, as Black Rod ceremonially prorogued Parliament, MPs tried to pin Mr Bercow to his chair, wielding placards saying “Silenced”. The Speaker reluctantly went along with the ceremony, but not before denouncing the prorogation as a constitutional abomination. Someone placed a “Silenced” placard on his empty chair.