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No-confidence vote in Britain's Commons speaker tabled following remarks against Trump

Xinhua, February 10, 2017 Adjust font size:

A move that could threaten the future of the House of Commons Speaker following his remarks against U.S. President Donald Trump has been tabled by an MP (member of the Parliament) at Westminster.

The motion of no-confidence in John Bercow will be considered by MPs in the House of Commons.

It was tabled under a procedure known as an early-day motion (EDM) by James Duddridge, Conservative MP for the southern England constituency of Rochford and Southend Kent.

It follows a statement earlier this week when Bercow announced in the chamber of the Commons that he would not support Trump addressing MPs during his proposed state visit to Britain.

Although Bercow's comments were widely welcomed by opposition MPs, members of the governing Conservative Party were infuriated by his stand.

A spokeswoman at the Houses of Parliament told Xinhua Thursday night that the motion of no-confidence had been tabled by Duddridge as the House of Commons was rising for its February recess.

No date has been set for a debate by politicians in parliament.

The Commons spokeswoman told Xinhua: "An EDM is a formal motion submitted for debate in the House of Commons at an 'early day,' that is, an unspecified future day."

There are a number of routes for the EDM to be fully discussed in the chamber of the House of Commons.

In a media interview Thursday Duddridge said Speaker Bercow had "overstepped the mark a number of times".

He added: "This most recent incident, where he used the Speaker's chair to pronounce his views on an international situation in some quite detailed and lengthy manner, is wholly inappropriate."

During her recent visit to Washington, Prime Minister Theresa May invited Trump and the First Lady to pay a state visit to Britain. The visit would include a state banquet hosted by Queen Elizabeth.

The announcement prompted a petition against Trump's state visit signed by almost 2 million people.

Around 70 MPs also signed a motion saying Trump should now be allowed to follow in the footsteps of other U.S. presidents by addressing politicians at Westminster.

Bercow became embroiled in the row over Trump's proposed visit when he announced this week that Trump should not be allowed to address parliament. Endit