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A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 5 November 2019
Lindsay Hoyle chosen to replace Bercow as UK Commons speaker

By JILL LAWLESS weeks as an Oct. 31 Brexit
Associated Press deadline approached. The
LONDON (AP) — Long-serv- U.K. Supreme Court over-
ing Labour Party lawmaker turned Johnson's shutdown.
Lindsay Hoyle was elected Bercow also interpreted
speaker of Britain's House of Parliament's rules in ways
Commons on Monday, tak- that let lawmakers direct
ing up the job with a clear the government's hand at
message: I'm not John Ber- key moments. One such
cow. move forced Johnson to
Hoyle was chosen by law- ask the EU to delay Brexit
makers from among seven until Jan. 31, the current
candidates to replace the deadline. The new speak-
influential but contentious er is set to oversee months
Bercow. Bercow retired last more of high-stakes de-
week after a decade as bate and votes over Brexit.
speaker that saw him be- Conservative lawmak-
come a central player in er Charles Walker, who
Britain's Brexit drama. backed Hoyle, said he
Hoyle took 325 of the 540 hoped the new speaker
votes in a runoff with La- would bring "a period of
bour colleague Chris Bry- calm and reflection."
ant after the seven-strong In this handout image provided by the House of Commons, one of the candidates for the role of Johnson, the prime minister,
field was winnowed down Speaker of the House, Lindsay Hoyle, speaks in the House of Commons, London, Monday, Nov. told Hoyle in the House of
in three previous voting 4, 2019. Commons that he was sure
rounds. Associated Press the new speaker would
After his election, Hoyle was "We've got to make sure ner, Hoyle has a contrast- from the European Union. bring his "signature kindness
dragged to the speaker's that tarnish is polished ing style to the verbose As Parliament wrangled and reasonableness to our
chair by colleagues with a away," he added. Bercow. And he is likely to angrily for months over Brit- proceedings, and thereby
show of reluctance —a tra- "This House will change, but adopt a more cautious ap- ain's planned departure ... help to bring us together
dition dating back to the it will change for the bet- proach than that taken by from the European Union, as a Parliament and a de-
days when speakers could ter." Hoyle, 62, was elected Bercow, who prided himself Bercow became a celebri- mocracy."
be sentenced to death if to Parliament in 1997, has on making the government ty around the world with his Four of the speaker candi-
they displeased the mon- served as one of the three answer to Parliament and garish ties, bellowing calls dates were women — Elea-
arch. deputy speakers since 2010 became a thorn in the side of "Or-derrr!" and sharp- nor Laing, Rosie Winterton,
He vowed to bring a and is widely popular and of the Conservative admin- tongued rebukes to noisy Harriet Harman and Meg
change of tone and tem- respected by colleagues. istration. lawmakers "chuntering Hillier — but the winner was
perament to a political sys- Like Bercow, he will run the The speaker is supposed to from a sedentary position." a man, just like all but one
tem that has been strained daily business of the Com- be an impartial arbiter of Bercow denied Brexit bias, of his 157 predecessors.
by Brexit. mons, keeping lawmakers Parliament's rules, but critics but clashed with the gov- Betty Boothroyd, who
Hoyle promised to be "neu- in line with robust cries of accused Bercow of favor- ernment, and strongly op- served from 1992 to 2000,
tral," ''transparent" and re- "Order!" ing anti-Brexit politicians at posed Prime Minister Boris remains the only female
store Parliament's battered With his northern English the expense of those sup- Johnson's attempt to sus- speaker in U.K. House of
reputation. accent and blunt man- porting Britain's departure pend Parliament for five Commons history.q

Protests greet Spanish king in secession-focused Catalonia

Associated Press month that have turned ers chanted "Go Away!"
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — unusually violent at times. and burned pictures of the
Violence and the disparag- More than 500 have been Spanish monarch.
ing of others have no place injured in the riots, roughly Inside, the king, Queen
in the dispute over Catalo- half of them police officers, Letizia and the couple's
nia's independence, Span- and dozens have been ar- two daughters, princesses
ish King Felipe VI said during rested. Leonor and Sofia, were
a visit with his family to the About 2,000 protest- greeted with enthusiastic
northeastern region Mon- ers wielding Spanish re- applause. Addressing the
day that was greeted with publican flags and pro- auditorium in the region's
widespread protests. independence symbols Catalan language, Felipe
The Spanish monarch has banged kitchen pots and said: "In today's reality there
long been the target of blocked access to the Bar- can't be room for violence,
fierce criticism by separat- celona venue where Felipe intolerance or contempt
ists. His speech two years and other members of the for the rights of others."
ago calling for Spanish Spanish royal family attend- The heir to the Spanish
unity after police violently ed an award ceremony. throne, 14-year-old Prin-
cracked down on those Protesters burn portraits of Spain's King Felipe during a protest Some of the guests at the cess Leonor, also made her
outside the convention centre, as the Spanish Royal Family
who tried to cast votes in attends the Princess of Girona awards in Catalonia'a regional Princess of Girona Awards Catalan-speaking debut
a banned independence capital, Barcelona, Spain Monday, Nov. 4, 2019. for young talent were un- at the ceremony, adding
referendum angered many Associated Press able to enter the con- that "Catalonia will always
and fueled republican sen- the first since the imprison- 2017 drive for secession, a ference center on time. have a special place in my
timent. ment of nine politicians ruling that has been met Surrounded by police in heart." It was Leonor's sec-
Monday's royal visit was and activists who led the with massive protests this anti-riot gear, the protest- ond public speech.q