The election of Deputy Speakers
This research briefing reviews the background to the introduction of elections for Deputy Speakers. It notes the arrangements for and reports the results of the elections that have taken place.
The election for Deputy Speakers at the beginning of the 2024 Parliament took place on 23 July 2024. The Speaker announced the results on the same afternoon. He said, “Nusrat Ghani was elected Chair of Ways and Means, Judith Cummins was elected First Deputy Chair of Ways and Means, and Caroline Nokes was elected Second Deputy Chair of Ways and Means”. Eight candidates had been nominated, six Conservatives and two Labour.
On 17 July 2024, the Speaker announced that the ballot for the election of deputy speakers in the 2024 Parliament would take place on Tuesday 23 July 2024. Nominations were to be submitted from 10am to 5pm on 22 July.
Ballots have previously been held to elect Deputy Speakers at the beginning of the 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019 Parliaments, and a by election was held in October 2013.
Background to the introduction of elections for Deputy SpeakersThis Commons Library research briefing provides background information on the introduction of elections for Deputy Speaker and details of previous results.
In June 2010, the Deputy Speakers were elected by the House of Commons in a secret ballot. Before this, Deputy Speakers had been appointed by the House on a motion moved, without notice, by a government minister.
In July 2009, the Speaker proposed that the Deputy Speakers should be elected by ballot. Following the Speaker’s announcement, the Procedure Committee decided to examine the matter. First it considered principles, and set them out in a report, Election of the Deputy Speakers: Principles (PDF), in November 2009. The House endorsed the Procedure Committee’s report in January 2010.
Following that endorsement, the Procedure Committee set out detailed proposals for the election of Deputy Speakers, in its report Election of the Speaker and of the Deputy Speakers (PDF), which was published in February 2010. A motion to give effect to the Procedure Committee’s recommendations was agreed on 4 March 2010.
Previous resultsFull details of results of previous elections for Deputy Speakers are reported in the attached research briefing.