Sir, The people of Britain now desperately need a strong, reforming and independent Speaker to re-establish the reputation of Parliament at a time when it has been damaged and threatened, not least by our own over-centralised and over-powerful executive.

A modern Speaker, giving fair and impartial rulings, must be free to act imaginatively to restore public confidence in democracy. The new Speaker should also support the independence of the select committees, ideally overseeing the election of their membership by secret ballot, free from the patronage of the party whips.

For all these reasons I hope that when the House of Commons meets on Monday, John Bercow will be elected.

Tony Benn

London W11

Sir, Peter Riddell (Political briefing, June 19) highlights the importance of MPs electing a new Speaker who is not tainted by the expenses scandal. Any candidates who have been forced to repay money by the exposure of the expenses should withdraw their candidature.

The electorate are urging MPs to grasp this opportunity to elect a Speaker they can respect and be proud of. Monday’s election is a chance for MPs to show that they have understood and have listened.

Christopher van der Noot

Winchester, Hants

Sir, The ideal Speaker would have the charm of Speaker Thomas, the authority of Speaker Weatherill, the no-nonsense approach of Speaker Boothroyd and the calming ability of Speaker Martin. None of the candidates offers all of these qualities, but in choosing a new Speaker MPs must surely pick someone who will be a good performer without seeking to become the main performance. This is an election where character matters above everything else.

David C. Shiels

Peterhouse, Cambridge

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