Roger Gale's 'Family First' Pitch For Deputy Speaker
2 min read
“Firmness, fairness, courtesy and impartiality,” that is what Sir Roger Gale, 80, says he would bring to the role of Deputy Speaker.
An MP for 41 years, and having spent the past 18 months as acting deputy speaker, the Tory MP is keen to support the many new members of the house.
“It takes quite a long time to really get to know the ropes, and then a lot longer after that to learn all the procedures. I think I'm fairly well placed to help with that.”
Gale’s experience goes beyond his time in the chair, having been a member of the chairman’s panel since 1997.
He says: “I hope I've established a reputation for being meticulously impartial.”
Gale speaks to positive relationships with the clerks and the speaker himself, and claims he is aware of the current stresses of Parliament.
“I'm a very firm believer in family first. It has to be if you're going to make this place work in the modern era,” Gale says.
“Members have domestic, health, sometimes psychiatric problems, and sadly, in this day and age, security problems.”
He adds: “We have to be there for members to make sure, insofar as is possible, without wet nursing them, they get the backup that they need.”
Gale cites an example of supporting an emotional member while he was in the speaker's chair.
“A member was practically in tears, struggling to speak in a personal debate,” he says.
“There are ways of managing business and quietly nod to another member to raise a spurious point of order to allow the member to sit down and take a breather. Then quietly say to the doorkeepers, please get a glass of water, quickly.”
He believes reinforced relationships with the whips office would help support their joint duty of care.
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