Former UK Commons speaker Bercow banned from holding parliament pass over bullying

FILE PHOTO: Former Speaker of the UK's House of Commons, John Bercow, arrives at the BBC Headquarters in London, Britain, January 16, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

John Bercow, the former speaker of Britain's House of Commons lower house of parliament, will be banned for life from holding a parliamentary pass after an independent panel found he bullied employees.

"His behaviour fell very far below that which the public has a right to expect from any member of parliament," said the Commons' Independent Expert Panel, which determines sanctions in cases against lawmakers.

"The respondent's conduct was so serious that, had he still been a Member of Parliament, we would have determined that he should be expelled by resolution of the House (of Commons). As it is, we recommend that he should never be permitted a pass to the Parliamentary estate," it said in a statementon Tuesday.

FILE PHOTO: Former Speaker of the UK's House of Commons, John Bercow, delivers the keynote speech at a 'Parliament and Brexit' conference hosted by UK in a Changing Europe, in London, Britain March 10, 2020. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan, editing by Elizabeth Piper)