This review was first published on the 16th May 2020 but was republished on the 27th April 2022 in light of the finding by the Independent Expert Panel into John Bercow’s behaviour as speaker.

In his decade as Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow became, without any doubt, the most controversial Speaker in modern parliamentary history. In the final quarter of his term as Speaker, it appeared that even any veneer of impartiality had began to fade. In this book the shackles of neutrality are completely off and the author appears to revel, at times far too much, in this newfound freedom.

Notably, the are parts of the book that make uncomfortable reading, with frequent character attacks that are unnecessary and to which many of the victims have no realistic right of reply. Frankly, there is just too much of this book that is self-serving. Whilst it remains extremely interesting from a constitutional standpoint – it is disappointing in other ways.