Plymouth MP fails in bid to be House of Commons Deputy Speaker

Gary Streeter, the Conservative MP for South West Devon has been unsuccessful in his bid to become one of the deputy speakers for the House of Commons.

Mr Streeter, who had cross-party local support in Plymouth, was one of seven candidates for the position vacated after the resignation of Nigel Evans, but MPs elected Eleanor Laing, the Conservative MP for Epping Forest.

Eleanor Laing will take up the post of Deputy Speaker immediately.

The seven candidates that stood in the ballot were:

David Amess, Conservative MP for Southend West
Henry Bellingham, Conservative MP for North West Norfolk
Brian Binley, Conservative MP for Northampton South
Simon Burns, Conservative MP for Chelmsford
Nadine Dorries, Conservative MP for Mid Bedforshire
Eleanor Laing, Conservative MP for Epping Forest
Gary Streeter, Conservative MP for South West Devon

To maintain the party balance between the Deputy Speakers, only MPs of parties represented in Her Majesty’s Government – Conservative and Liberal Democrats – were eligible for nomination.