Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom) and 2005. At the 2010 general election, Speaker John Bercow faced ten opponents, including Nigel Farage, former leader of UKIP, who obtained 17.4% of the vote, and John Stevens, from the Buckinghamshire Campaign for Democracy party, who obtained 21.4%. Bercow won with 47% of the vote. The Speaker's primary function is to preside over the House of Commons. Traditionally, the Speaker when presiding wore court dress—a black coat with white shirt and bands, beneath a black gown, with stockings and buckled shoes, and a full-bottomed wig. But in 1992 Betty Boothroyd, the first female Speaker, eschewed the wig. Her successor,
1951 Speaker of the British House of Commons election motion, originally to elect Morrison. He was proposed by Sir Hugh O'Neill and seconded by Sir Ralph Glyn. Samuel Viant then moved an amendment to the original motion to elect Major James Milner, who was then seconded by David Logan. Both Morrison and Milner then gave their speeches of submission to the will of the House. MPs voted on the motion that Morrison take the Chair as Speaker, which was approved by 318 votes to 251. Morrison was then conducted to the Chair by O'Neill and Glyn. 1951 Speaker of the British House of Commons election The 1951 election of