hearings in their entirety on our website, c-span.org/impeachment. you will also find transcripts and rules, plus a point of showsst feature that moments of interest indicated by a star in the timeline. watch on c-span, c-span.org, or the free c-span radio app. announcer: next, a presentation from bbc parliament on the life and career of former house of commons speaker john bercow. this program showcases old interviews and speeches from his 10 years as a member of british parliament. it is 25 minutes. mr. bercow: order. order. ♪

mr. bercow: order. order. david: the speaker who did it his way. mr. bercow: i need help from the member of the third. perhaps you have no contribution to make whatsoever. david: on a long and colorful political journey. mr. bercow: i am not interested in signing up to a policy. that would put europe before britain. david: dispensing advice along the way. mr. bercow: calm yourself and take some sort of soothing medicant. david: to his supporters, john bercow has been one of the great speakers transformative leader , a in the stuffy world of westminster. to his critics, he was pompous, biased even, changing the rules to suit his own agenda. but the decisions he took in his chair over 10 years may have changed the course of history. and his distinctive style made

him an unlikely international celebrity. >> people were yelling order at you and asking you to take selfies. this must be a new experience. mr. bercow: it is a new experience. david: years before he became a familiar face on our screens, john bercow made his debut on children's tv. mr. bercow: it's time for the boys' game now. let's meet the lads. john, philip. with ahe did go home crackerjack pencil and pen. john bercow's first question time came on bbc tv in 1981. the featured speaker was just old enough to vote. mr. bercow: describe what mr. whitemore said about financial assistance as economic nonsense is absolutely observed -- absurd. she recalls in her recent book that mr. callahan once said, he

immigrate. i would suggest the reason she sought to join the european parliament was precisely the same reason. [applause] [crosstalk] >> i may be an old-fashioned 21-year-old, but i make no apology for saying the government should not rest until the inflationary disease has been expunged from the british economy once and for all. the only powerful level of inflation -- the only tolerable level of inflation is zero inflation. david: he was a leading figure in the anti-immigration group on the far right of the party and a crowdpleasing party activist. mr. bercow: in the public sector, end punitive taxation and the release of our industry from cumbersome political control, the results of failure in the form of a socialist nightmare, hardly bearing reflection. on theby 1992, he was

election trail, fighting and losing for a labour seat in bristol. he was to travel a long way politically. but even after being elected mp of buckingham, the continued to fly the flag for euro skepticism. >> good afternoon to john bercow, mp. it willno mistake, almost certainly fall economically. it is absolute nonsense for britain to sign up to a policy made by people in frankfurt who we do not elect and who we cannot remove. david: his views and crockery have changed since his days as an ambitious mp. his marriage with a labour activist coincided with his own political journey, having been promoted to the shadow cabinet, he resigned to rebel against the party line on gay adoption. >> you are far too young.

david: but when one door closed, another opened for one so detached from his party. traditionally, openly campaigning to be speaker was not done. in 2009, john bercow ran a well organized, professional and successful campaign. >> the speaker should be neutral within this chamber. but he or she should not be neutral about this chamber. if elected, i would be an tireless advocate for our political relevance. finally, i turned to the world beyond westminster. a speaker needs to become both an advocate and an ambassador for parliament. theust reconnect it to society which it seeks to represent. i would be comfortable to be both a speaker and a listener. >> john bercow, 322. [cheering] sir george young, 271. [applause]

mp's had been listening. john bercow was elected on the third ballot. few tory mp's voted for him, but most joined in the applause as he was dragged to the speaker's chair, a tradition that reaches back to the days of the monarch, which could be a life shortening challenge. ♪ the new speaker broke with tradition by abandoning the court dress worn by his predecessors. in its place, a business suit & gown, a vision all signal of his reforming intention. even those who advised him dispensed with their wigs. >> john bercow changed the way the comments works. debates became routine. the definitive guide to parliamentary procedure is now 184 pages longer than it used to be. under his predecessor, mp's could ask questions a few times a year. with speaker bercow in the

chair, ministers would be summoned to this dispatch box a few times a week. mr. bercow: urgent question. question, diane abbott. david: mp's were given more chances to question each of the four prime ministers of the bercow years. mr. bercow: order. time, they added bercow lasting almost twice as long. david cameron says he wondered on waking what john bercow would do to make his life hell today. mr. bercow: order, order. [shouting] mr. bercow: in response to that question, the prime minister has finished, and he can take it from me that he has finished.

[singing] david: the bercow modernizing influence has been felt outside the chamber, too. [applause] mr. bercow: well done. [applause] i must say that i celebrate the house of commons nursery. to be honest, i don't wish to be immodest. it was my idea. [laughter] ♪ david: john bercow would like to be remembered as the banks feature. >> i think i may make the statement that i think you annoyed numbers on all fronts from time to time, which is probably a testament.

i think there was not a dry eye in the house because that was true. take on boardu the words of the speaker, that you are there to be guided and act on behalf of our parliament. this parliament is stronger for your being speaker. our democracy is stronger for your being the speaker. and whatever you do when you finally step down from parliament, you do so with the thanks of a very large number of people. >> it is the case, however controversial, your rule as the backstop has been one that has been appreciated by individuals across this house. david: not in appreciation universally shared in government. -- not an appreciation universally shared in government. mr. bercow: order. with --rnment people chief wet has no position whatsoever shouting from incident repossession.

-- from a sedentary position. the honorable gentlemen will remain in the chamber. the right honorable gentlemen has absolutely no business scurrying out of the chamber. order. . order, order. the chief has absolutely no business -- order. order. the right honorable gentlemen has no business behaving in that way. david: ministers had lost patience a long time ago. in 2015, they tried to change the rules for electing the speaker. the attempted coup failed, much to the relief of an emotional john bercow. mr. bercow: order. order. [applause] ayes to the right, nos the left, 220. [cheering] [applause] ♪

david: john bercow came to the chair promising a clean break with the past. but there were scandals on his watch, too. mr. bercow: i wish to make a statement about recent disturbing allegations about the culture of sexual harassment at westminster. between members and those who work for members. let me make it clear. there must be zero tolerance of sexual harassment or bullying here at westminster or elsewhere. david: some of the bullying allegations were close to home. >> i think our problem was that he would not communicate. it was as if we had to guess what he wanted. that will always lead to mistakes. and this happened a number of times. and it seemed to be more frequent. and the speaker responded in a way that i can only say was a

form of bullying and that is to show anger, to thump the table, to say that somebody has failed in front of others. david: claims robustly denied by john bercow. mr. bercow: i have a superb team of dedicated, effective, and long serving staff. five of whom have served me for a collective total of over 40 years. i am also happy to confirm that the great majority of people who have left my service have done so on perfectly amicable terms. david: but some senior mp's wanted more action after the publication of a report by the retired high court judge named laura cox. >> taunting, mocking, mimicking,

delicately belittling in front of other members, belittling someone's junior status, making lengthy and humiliating tirades and criticism of abuse in front of colleagues. how can we encourage mr. speaker to stop this behavior? >> the report is clear that there needs to be a complete change in leadership at the most senior level, including you, mr. speaker. >> i spoke publicly about being bullied as a teenager. two nervous breakdowns, one episode of hospitalization from bullying. i find it a portent but there have been -- i find it up or abhorrent that there as some who have used it their own agenda using bowling to bully the speaker. ♪

>> written votes to leave the european union in 2016. >> we can now say the decision taken in 1975 by this country to join the common market has been reversed by this referendum to leave the eu. david: the consequences of that vote have dominated parliament ever since, with its reverie -- referee becoming a key player. >> as we have seen, john bercow was once a proud euro skeptic. but in the 2016 referendum, he voted remain, and crucially let people know about it. his handling of brexit legislation, allowing backbench mp's to take over the comments agenda, infuriated ministers and brexiteers. for some, this was confirmation that the speaker was no longer impartial. >> from any of us, we will have an unshakable convention that the referee of our affairs -- [shouting] >> -- we will have an unshakable

conviction that the referee is no longer neutral. mr. bercow: i have always been scrupulously fair to brexiteers and remainders alike, as i have always been to people of different opinions on a number of other issues. that has always been the case, it is the case, it will continue to be the case. david: newspapers discovered a bollocks to brexit sticker on a bercow family car. >> we noticed in recent marks a sticker on your car making derogatory comments about brexit. it is a serious point about partiality. have you driven that car with that sticker? mr. bercow: that sticker on the subject of brexit happens to be affixed to or on the windscreen of my wife's car. yes. and i am sure the honorable gentlemen would not suggest for one moment that the wife is somehow the property or chattel

of her husband. [cheering] [applause] mr. bercow: she is entitled to her views. that sticker is not mine, and that is the end of it. david: but it wasn't the end of the argument over john bercow's approach to brexit. to thecow: the ayes right, 202. the nos to the left, 432. david: the government defeats began to mount for theresa may. ministers accused the referee of changing the rules to make it harder for mp to back her brexit deal. >> the issue is that the role of the chair is to uphold the rules that parliament has made for itself. not to arbitrarily change those rules. >> there was nothing arbitrary about the conduct of the chair yesterday. this speaker is well aware of

how to go about the business of chairing the proceedings of the house because he has been doing so for nine and a half years. i hope my colleagues will understand when i say that i require no lessons or lectures from others about how to discharge my obligations to parliament and in support of the rights of parliamentarians. david: a change of prime minister and a new brexit deal did not change john bercow's approach. mr. bercow: today's circumstances are in substance the same as saturday's circumstances. my rule is that the motion will not be debated today, as it would be repetitive and disorderly to do so. >> can you understand, sir, in the light of your comments why some people perceive, perhaps incorrectly, that the only consistency one can find in your

rulings is that they always seem to favor one side of the argument and never the government, who are trying their best to carry out the mandate given to them by the british people in 2016? mr. bercow: i know the dilemmas you face mean that on occasion you will sometimes have to please some and not others. but it is remarkable how you please one lot and at the other. -- and not the other one. >> when he was getting the decisions in his favor, he was not grumbling. he is grumbling now, because he does not like the judgment. but the judgment i have made is an honorable and fair one, and i'm afraid if the honorable gentlemen does not like it, there is not much i can do about that. ♪ david: john bercow has a way with words. some mp's were said to play his bercow bingo ticking off , favorite words from his phrasebook. mr. bercow: anybody who

understands the constitution knows that her majesty has no discretion. it is the honorable gentlemen opposite, using your favorite word, mr. speaker, chartering away merrily. they should some legal back to school and learn about constitution. a ladybird book can be provided. mr. bercow: it is not for me to say but it wasn't evident whether the activity was being undertaken, but i can certainly confirm that there was chong turning -- chuantering from a sedentary position. i can say that it is very commonplace in the work of the house. but i have noticed in my travels to parliaments around the world that there is a source of regular comment and no little amusement. mr. bercow: order. order.

i noticed earlier that you seem to be in a hyper condition today. i would recommend you take some sort of soothing predicament or lie down. you will probably feel better at the end of it. you are an incorrigible individual. sedentaryom a position at the top of your voice. calm yourself. take a soothing predicament from which you will benefit. david: some detected a jane austen influence in his vocabulary. >> can the speaker tell us what he is talking about when he is talking about a blind motion? mr. bercow: what i would call motion exegesis is a matter for the chair. i think it is for the secretary to explain the terms of his motion. i am saddened if the honorable gentleman is before told. -- is befuddled. i would not want him to remain in a state of nuisance for any time. i hope the secretary of state will elaborate and clarity will descend on the honorable gentlemen and all of the people

of huddersfield. order. resume your seat. resume your seat. order. resume your seat. i don't require any lectures in democracy from the honorable gentlemen. i will advise the honorable gentlemen of exactly what the position is and it will brook no contradiction. david:'s unique approach extended to parliamentarians past and present. >> as a long serving member of this house one side, it is not about policies. personalities, it is about policies. >> i have made the point often, and make it again, that i tend to subscribe to the lord whitelaw in these matters. he famously used to say, it is better to cross bridges only when i come to them. i call sir john hayes. david: it won't be the same

without him. ♪ john bercow announced his departure days after the conservatives said they would defy convention and put a candidate up against him at the next election. mr. bercow: at the 2017 election, i promised my wife and children that it would be my last. this is a pledge that i intend to keep. david: he made a valedictory statement to mp's. sought to: i have increase the relative authority of this legislature, for which i apologye absolutely no to anyone. david: within hours, he became the figurehead of opposition to the government's attempt, later ruled unlawful, to suspend parliament for five weeks amid

extraordinary scenes at 20 past 1:00 in the morning. mr. bercow: this is not a standard or normal progress. [cheering] it will require some assistance from you. you wouldn't have the foggiest idea where to start. i require no response from you. [shouting] i require no response from you, young man. i require no response from you. i have made the point. if only people had the manners to listen, which they haven't. but i will play my part. this is not, however, a normal provocation. it is not standard. it is one of the longest for

decades, and it represents not just in the minds of many colleagues but huge numbers of people outside, an active executive fiat. i completely understand why very large numbers of members are much more comfortable staying where they are. mr. stewart, if you don't like it, you are perfectly entitled to your view. i couldn't give a flying flamingo what your view is. thank you very much. david: mp's who followed the speaker to the lords were booed. [shouting] [booing] david: two weeks later, they were back after the supreme court agreed with the speaker, who seemed even more emboldened by his impending departure. welcome back to our place of work.

david: welcome back, if not for long. the break did not appear to have calmed things. mr. bercow: calm yourself, man. i am very concerned for you. i am telling the honorable gentleman what the position is. don't mix it with the chair. i am on my last day. the best thing about switzerland is not its chocolate or watches. it is not its financial services. the best thing about switzerland is roger federer. i want to thank my wife and my three children. for the support, stoicism, and fortitude which they have displayed through thick and thin over the last decade. i will never forget it and i will always be grateful for it. [applause]

david: and those were the bercow years. contentious, polarizing, modernizing. certainly not dull. as he heads for the international circuit, perhaps he too will discover the merits of a soothing predicament. mr. bercow: order. order. ♪ announcer: members of parliament have voted to hold a special general election on december 12. this means the parliament will be out of session for five weeks during the campaign. you can watch coverage of prime minister's questions when they return live on c-span2.

our c-span campaign 2020 bus team is traveling across the country, visiting key battleground states in the 2020 presidential race, asking voters which issues they want candidates to address during the campaign. >> i would like the candidates to focus on what is good for the american people and put the people of our country ahead of party and politics. one thing that is very important to average americans is the economy and job creation, and i am hoping there will be a real focus on that. >> and i believe that the candidates of 2020 should recognize the massive health care disparity we have within the whole nation, access to health care, access to proper health quality. >> i believe there should be a higher focus on climate change.

i feel as if no matter who you are, it is something that affects us no matter where you live. most recently, i have noticed that there was not an emphasis on climate change and people debating if scientists actually are correct. but we never question earthquakes, we never question hurricanes, but we want to question climate change. the reason i believe that is because we don't see the immediate effects. we are pushing on our children, so i want to see more of this in the presidential election. announcer: voices from the campaign trail, part of c-span's battleground states tour. c-span's washington journal, live every day with news and policy issues that impact you. coming up monday morning, we will preview week two of the impeachment inquiry hearings with wall street journal reporter vivian salama and scott

wong./ later, a discussion on the impeachment inquiry with a george washington university law professor. be sure to watch c-span's washington journal, live at 7:00 eastern monday morning. join the discussion. week, the house intelligence committee and chair adam schiff continue public impeachment inquiry hearings. beginning tuesday morning at 9:00 eastern on c-span, watch live testimony from jennifer williams, aid to vice president mike pence, and director for european affairs, national security council alexander vindman. at 2:30, ambassador kurt volker, special envoy to ukraine, and national security council white house aide to morrison. on wednesday at 9:00 a.m. eastern, testimony continues with u.s. ambassador to the european union gordon sondland. at 2:30, deputy assistant secure

terry of defense for russia, eurasia on thursday at 9:00 a.m. eastern, the committee will hear testimony from fiona hill, former national security council senior director for europe and russia. watch the first two public hearings in their entirety on www.c-span.org/impeachment. you will find transcripts of witness testimony and procedures. plus, a points of interest feature that identifies key moments indicated by a star in the timeline. this week, watch live coverage of the house impeachment inquiry hearings on c-span3, c-span.org, or listen live wherever you are with the c-span radio app. host: joining us from los angeles is radio talk show host dennis prager. thanks very much for being with us on this sunday morning. we appreciate it. dennis: i appreciate your having me.