The race to become the most powerful Commons Speaker in modern history is being undermined by party whips who are trying to install Margaret Beckett as their anti-reform candidate.

Senior Labour figures have been accused of colluding with Conservatives to ensure that Mrs Beckett is elected today. She was the only candidate not to endorse plans to remove the powers of patronage from the Whips’ Offices — so that MPs, rather than party whips, would choose the chairmen of select committees.

Her candidacy was pushed by Nick Brown, the Chief Whip, while she was still a minister. Two of his deputies, John Spellar and Tommy McAvoy, have been championing her to MPs.

The Times has learnt that the Labour whips, who enforce the Government’s will in Parliament, are also trying to limit reforms that would give MPs more power over Government and meddling with the composition of the parliamentary reform committee. Opponents fear that they are trying to water down its power.

This is the rancorous backdrop against which MPs will elect a successor to Michael Martin today.

In a desperate last push, the Tory backbencher John Bercow revealed that he had a number of Cabinet supporters, including Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, and Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary.Focus groups have shown that Labour is being damaged disproportionately by the row over MPs’ expenses because people believe that Parliament is controlled by Labour. Some ministers have concluded that appointing a Tory Speaker would be the best way to challenge this perception.

Over the weekend William Hill reported that, after a late flurry of betting, Mr Bercow had slipped to third place behind Mrs Beckett and Sir George Young, Tory chairman of the Standards and Privileges Committee.

Ten candidates have indicated that they wish to stand as Speaker but only four — Ann Widdecombe, Sir Alan Haselhurst, Sir George and Sir Alan Beith — have named their 12 sponsors publicly. Parmjit Dhanda, Michael Lord, Richard Shepherd, Sir Patrick Cormack, Mrs Beckett and Mr Bercow have all declined to do so.

Today’s election, which begins with speeches from the candidates at 2.30pm, is the first to be held by secret ballot — an attempt to dilute attempts by the parties to sway the outcome. Gordon Brown has declared that he will not vote.

Stephen Pound, the Labour MP, said: “This is a time when parties should not be looking inward. The excessive patronage of the Whips’ Office is one of those aspects of Parliament the public find repellent, and a candidate standing for the status quo would not find support except among those who would get advantage from it.”Several candidates, including Mr Bercow and Sir George, have pledged to strengthen MPs’ powers. All three party leaders have indicated a willingness to rebalance the relationship between Parliament and Government. The Times has learnt, however, that plans to give Parliament a bigger say in challenging the Government are being undermined by Labour whips.

There are concerns at attempts to meddle with the membership of the committee given the task of looking at strengthening MPs’ powers. Mr Brown suggested that the committee examines the possibility of electing the chairmen of select committees, currently chosen by whips, and allowing Parliament rather than Government to determine debates on the floor of the Commons. But Tony Wright, the Labour chairman of the body, will not be allowed to choose MPs with a track record of reform. Instead, Labour’s nine seats will be chosen in a vote by Labour MPs. Such individuals are more likely to report back to the whips and work closely with them.

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