UK parliament Speaker John Bercow announces intention to quit

UK parliament Speaker John Bercow announces intention to quit
September 9, 2019, 4:15 pm

Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow making a statement. (File photo AFP)

John Bercow, Speaker in Britain’s House of Commons, announced on Monday that he would be standing down from the role.

Bercow has helped bend parliamentary rules to give lawmakers opposed to a no-deal Brexit the chance to try to prevent Britain leaving the European Union without a deal on Oct. 31.

He said he would not contest the next election if parliament voted later today in favor of holding one.

If, as expected, lawmakers reject the government’s attempt to call an election, he said he would quit on Oct. 31.

On Monday, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth gave final approval to a piece of legislation which seeks to prevent Prime Minister Boris Johnson from taking the country out of the European Union without an exit deal on Oct. 31.

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