The Liberal Democrats have defied tradition by fielding a candidate against the Commons Speaker John Bercow. Sarah Lowes will stand against Mr Bercow – who was elected as MP in 1997 – in Buckingham for the 2017 general election. The convention in which the Speaker is not challenged by the three main parties originates from the presumption that since he or she is “above party in the Commons, then he or she should not fight on a party label at a general election,” said QMUL’s Professor Tim Bale.More »