2000 Speaker of the British House of Commons election for electing a Speaker were changed the following year to a use a secret and exhaustive ballot. This procedure was first used in the Speaker election of 2009. Under the old system for electing Speakers of the House of Commons, a candidate would be nominated and seconded, and alternative candidates would be offered as 'amendments' to that initial motion. In 2000, 11 candidates stepped forward, leading Sir Edward Heath, presiding in his capacity as Father of the House, to have the candidates voted on two at a time. He called Michael Martin to be nominated first. In the event, no
Next Speaker of the British House of Commons election are any candidates who receive less than five per cent of the votes cast. The House then continues to vote until one member receives a majority of the vote. A motion is then put before the House asking if the candidate who won a majority in the secret ballot should take the Chair as Speaker. If the motion is past, the winning candidate is dragged by MPs to the Chair as Speaker-elect. The Speaker is then formally appointed by receiving the Queen's approbation through a Royal Commission in the House of Lords. Following reports that John Bercow plans to step