>> watch the entire discussion on global security in the persian gulf region with former u.s. ambassador's from the clinton, bush, and obama administrations. tonight at 8:00 eastern, here on c-span. >> the impeachment hearing inquiries continue next week, when house judiciary committee chairman nadler holds the first hearing focusing on the constitution and the history of impeachment. watch our live coverage wednesday, december at 10:00 a.m. eastern on c-span three. chairman nadler extended an invitation for the president and his counsel to appear before the committee. read the letter to the president on our website, c-span.org/impeachment, and follow the impeachment inquiry live on c-span3, online at the span.org, or listen live on the free c-span radio app. >> next, a presentation from bbc parliament on the life and

career of former british house of commons speaker john bercow. this program shows and -- interviews from his 10 years as a member of the british parliament. it is 25 minutes. >> order. order. ♪ order. order. >> a speaker who did it his way. >> i need help from the member of the third. perhaps you have no contribution to make whatsoever. david: on on a long and colorful political journey. >> i am not interested in signing up to a policy that would put europe before britain. david: dispensing advice along the way.

>> calm yourself and take some sort of soothing predicament. david: to his supporters, john bercow has been one of the great speakers, a transformative figure 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. >> yes. >> this must be a new experience. >> it is a new experience. ♪ david: years before his became a familiar face on our screens, john bercow made his debut on children's tv. alongside ed stewart. >> it's time for the boys' game now. let's meet the lads. john over there, and philip. david: he did go home with a crackerjack pencil and pen.

john bercow's first question time came on bbc tv in 1981. the future speaker was only just old enough to vote. castle -- mrs. castle, describe what mr. whitemore said about financial assistance as economic nonsense is absolutely absurd. mrs. castle recalls in her recent book that mr. callahan ace said that if he were young man, he would immigrate because he did not have answers to any of britain's economic problems or any other problems. 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 tolerable level of inflation is zero inflation.

bercow was aung leading figure in the anti-immigration group on the far right of the party and a crowdpleasing party activist. >> 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. david: by 1992, he was on the 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 from buckingham in 1997, he continued to fly the flag for euroskepticism. >> good afternoon to john bercow, mp. ands a tory eurosceptic proud of it. >> make no mistake, it will 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. marriage to sally aleman, 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 as the front bench door closed, another opened for one so detached from his party. traditionally, openly campaigning to be speaker was not done. but in 2009, john bercow ran a well organized, professional and successful campaign. >> the speaker should always be neutral within this chamber, but he or she should not be neutral about this chamber. if elected, i would be a tireless advocate for our political relevance. so finally, i turned to the world beyond westminster. where a formal speaker needs to

become both an advocate and an ambassador for parliament. you must reconnect it with the 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] david: 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. ♪ david: the new speaker broke with tradition by abandoning the court dress worn by his predecessors. in its place, a business suit and simple gown, a visual signal

of his reforming intention. even the clarks who advised him dispensed with their wigs. >> john bercow changed the way the commons works. emergency 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 urgent 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. >> urgent question. urgent question, diane abbott. david: mp's were given more chances to question each of the four prime ministers of the bercow years. >> order. david: they added bercow time, routinely lasting almost twice as long as the allotted 30 minutes. david cameron says he wondered on waking what john bercow would do to make his life hell today.

>> order, order. >> i'm finished. >> order. [shouting] >> in response to that question, the prime minister has finished, and he can take it from me that he has finished. [laughter] [children's choirs singing] david: the bercow modernizing influence has been felt outside the chamber, too. [applause] >> well done. [applause] >> i must say that i celebrate the house of commons nursery. i must say that i celebrated covington [inaudible]

to be honest, i don't wish to be immodest, but it was my idea. [laughter] ♪ david: john bercow would like to be remembered as the backbencher's speaker. >> i think i made the immortal statement that that i think you nnoyed front time on from time to all fronts, which is probably a testament. i think there was not a dry eye in the house because that was true. >> you've taken on board 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 the role of backstop may be other areas, your >> not an appreciation universally shared in government. web hasovernment cheap no business shouting from a position. the judgment will remain in the chamber. -- the gentleman will remain in the chamber. business --n has no order. has -- order. the honorable gentleman has no business behaving in that way. >> they lost patience a long time ago. in 2015, they tried to change the rules for electing the speaker.

they failed, to the relief of john bercow. >> order. the eye, 220. [applause] ♪ john bercow came to the chair promising a blake with the -- break with the past, but there were scandals. speaker bercow: i wish to make a statement about recent culture of about the 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. some of the allegations were close to home. >> i think our problem was he would not communicate it. we had to guess what he wanted. that will always lead to mistakes. this happened a number of times. it seemed to be more frequent. the speaker responded in a way that i can say is a form of bullying. , sayis to show anger somebody has failed in front of others. david: claims were denied by john bercow. speaker bercow: i have a superb effective,icated, and long serving staff. me for whom have served a collective total of over 40

years. the great to confirm majority of people who left my service have done so on amicable terms. mps wanted senior more action after the publication of a report of a judge. speaker bercow: mocking, mimicking, belittling in front of other members. >> belittling someone's status. making humiliating tirades and criticisms in front of colleagues. how can we encourage the speaker to stop this behavior? >> the report is clear there needs to be a change in leadership at the senior level, including you, mr. speaker. >> i have spoken about being bullied as a teenager.

one episode of hospitalization through bullying. apparent -- up laurent -- abhorent. written -- britain votes to leave the eu. in 1975 tosion taken join the common market has been reversed by this referendum to leave the eu. have: the consequences dominated parliament ever since with it's a referee becoming a key player. proudn bercow was once a euro skeptic. in the 2016 referendum, he voted remain at let people know about it. his handling of the brexit legislation, allowing backbench mps to take over the agenda, infuriated ministers and risa tears.

for some, this was confirmation the speaker was no longer impartial. >> for many of us, we will have a conviction that the referee of not -- [inaudible] a conviction of the referee is no longer neutral. >> i have always been fair to meinersrs and rob alike as i have always been to people of different issues on other issues. that has always been the case and will continue to be the case. newspapers noticed a brexit sticker on a bercow family car. sticker on your car making derogatory points

about brexit. have you driven that car? >> that sticker on the subject of brexit happens to be affixed to my wife's car. am sure the honorable gentleman would not suggest for a wife is thet property of her husband. [applause] she is entitled to her views. that sticker is not mine. that is the end of it. david: it was not the end of the argument over his approach to brexit. >> the ice to the right, 202. the nose to the left, 432. david: the government begins to

accused the referee of changing the rules to make it harder to back the brexit deal. >> the will of the chair is to uphold the road parliament has made for itself. not to change those rules. arbitraryas nothing about the conduct of the chair yesterday. aware ofker is well how to go about the business of caring people's of the house. he has been at doing so for nine and a half years. i hope colleagues will understand when i say, i require no lessons or lectures from others about how to discharge my obligations to parliament in support of the rights of backbench parliamentarians. david: a change of prime minister and a new deal did not change on bercow's approach. speaker bercow: today's

circumstances are the same as a saturdays circumstances. my ruling is the motion will it be debated today and it would be repetitive and it would be repetitive and disorderly to do so. understand, why some the onlyrceive that consistency one can find in your rulings is that they seem to favor one aside and never the government who is trying to carry out the mandate given by the people in 2016? >> on occasion you will sometimes have to please some and not others. but it is becoming remarkable how often you please won a lot and not the other. >> when he was getting the decisions in his favor, he was not grumbling. he is grumbling now because he does not like the judgment. the judgment i have made is a

fair one and i am afraid if the gentleman does not like it, there is not much i can do about that. ♪ david: john bercow has a way with words. he might put it, we can't broke off no contradiction. some mps lay bercow bingo. anybody who understands the constitution it knows her majesty had no discretion. if the gentleman opposite using your favorite word, conjuring toy merrily, all to go back school and learn about the constitution. >> evidence be whether the activity was being undertaken wasily, i can confirm there

conjuring from a century position. it is commonplace. travels toced in my parliament around the world, it is a source of regular comment and notable amusement. >> order. you seem to be in a hyper condition today. i would recommend you take a soothing predicament or lie down. incorrigible individual. yelling from the top of your voice. yourself or take a soothing predicament. suggested a jane austen influence. >> what are you talking about? when he talks about a blind vote.

recall, motion exit he says is a matter for the chair. plane toe needs to x the terms of his motion. i'm saddened if he is befuddled. i would not want him to remain in a state of negligence for any state of time. elaborate state will and clarity will dissent up on the gentleman. >> order. resume your seats. i don't require any lectures in a democracy from the honorable gentleman. i would advise the gentleman off of what the position is. david: his approach is standard to impressions. said, itomebody once is about policy, not

personalities. >> i have made the point often, i tend to subscribe to the victim of the lord whitelaw, he used to say, i think it is better to prosper. --call sir john hickey's sir john hayes. david: it won't be the same without him. ♪ hisd: don bercow announced departure days after the conservatives said they did by convention and put a candidate against him at the next election. >> i promised my wife and children that it would be my last. this is a pledge i intend to keep. david: he made a statement to mps. the have sought to increase

relative authority of this legislature for which i will apology totely no anyone. he became the figurehead of opposition to the government's attempt, later ruled unlawful, to suspend parliament for five weeks. standard. not a requiring assistance from you, you would not have an idea require start in -- i no response from you.

i require no response from you. i had made the point. i will play my part. this is not a normal fortification. 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, i completely understand why large numbers of members are more comfortable staying where they are. it, you are like entitled to your view. a flyingot give flamingo what your view is. mps who followed the

speaker were booed. [boos] two weeks later, they were back, after the supreme court agreed with the speaker, who seemed more emboldened by his impending departure. >> welcome back to our place of work. if not forome back, long. at the break did not seem to have a. -- did not seem to have calmed things. the possible admin meant is orderly, but the comment is not. i am telling the gentleman what the position is. i am on my last day. the best thing about switzerland is not it's chocolate, not its watches, the best thing about

switzerland -- i want to thank my wife and three children. for the support and fortitude they have displayed through thick and thin over the last decade. i will always be grateful for it. [applause] david: those were the bercow years. full of icing, modernizing, certainly not dull. he was never going to go quietly. as he heads to the? circuit, perhaps he too will discover the merits of a soothing predicament. speaker bercow: order, order. ♪

>> thanks for your comments. we go to david next in oklahoma on the democrats line. >> thank you for taking my call. i think the winner in this process is c-span. it is the one network president trump not criticize. it is the one network that will open the phones to the speaker who was just before me and that myself. i am in a state, as a democrat, where all 77 counties in 2016 voted for president trump. i think there has been enough evidence in what i have seen, which is featured on c-span, and without commentary from millionaire anchors, that there needs to be a trial in the senate.

let the process work its way out. if trump is not guilty, let the process work its way out. >> live coverage of the impeachment inquiry and the administration's response on c-span. your unfiltered view of the impeachment inquiry. house impeachment inquiry hearings continued next week as the house judiciary committee talks with constitutional scholars. the committee will take recommendations from members of the intelligence committee and they want to hear about constitutional grounds for impeachment. they invited president trump at his legal counsel to attend and ask questions. watch on c-span3 wednesday morning starting at 10:00 eastern. it will also be light on c-span.org where you get -- or you can listen with the free c-span radio app. >> here are some programs on c-span this weekend. today at 3:30, spent a day in the life with three of the 2020

democratic hopefuls. michael bennet, pete buttigieg, and cory booker. at 8:00, we will look at u.s. relations with iran and security in the gulf region with a panel of former ambassadors to both countries. from the clinton, bush, and obama administrations. saturday, a committee hearing on the difficulties for caring for aging americans, and the lack of reasonably priced care and -- for senior citizens and their caregivers. at 8:00, ted danson testifies on the impacts of plastic pollution at a subcommittee hearing. 2020, night, for camping c-span speaks with candidates deval patrick and michael bennet. hisl patrick talks about background, friendship with obama, aspirations if elected,

and his late entry into the crowded field of candidates. at nine: 30, michael bennet on why he decided to run for president, his leadership style, and a stance on the issues. what c-span this weekend. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2019] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] our bus is traveling across the country, asking what issues candidates should address. >> one of the most on addressed issues is reforming federal prisons. detention facilities have a staggering rate. that should address the federal government has the power to do so. >> what i want the candidates to focus on is constituents who never get there voices heard. these constituents are nonhuman animals.

who blew thelower whistle on multiple factory farms. think felony charges -- but of the things i want the candidates to focus on, the public has the right to know what is going on inside of paper forms, inside of these places where animals are abused. ordinary individuals have had the right to rescue these animals from that abuse. >> i would love for the candidates to talk talking about take aety, how we can lot of the guns off the streets and out of the hands of those who should not have them. more importantly, make our environments of peace and common ground so we don't feel like we need guns. they should be removed. >> i would like to see the candidates focus on trying to reinstate the voting rights act

and bringing fairness back into elections. we need to not all be control and make sure the elections are secure, but make sure everyone that is a citizen is able to penaltiesut having and fines that they can never get out of. >> this is from the road on c-span. c-span followed democratic candidate michael bennet as he filed his candidacy paperwork at the new hampshire state house. at a, he held a town hall paper company. should we go in and do this? let's do it. how are you? nice to see you. thank you. >>