Sharon Hodgson’s Betty Boothroyd-Inspired Deputy Speaker Bid

“Experienced, passionate, fair” – that’s the pitch Sharon Hodgson is making to her colleagues in the upcoming deputy speaker election.

The MP for Washington and Gateshead South has been in the Commons for 19 years, and served in government as parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to three cabinet ministers, then as a whip. She was Keir Starmer’s PPS for two years until she decided she wanted training for the deputy speaker post.

“I had this Damascus Road experience when I was sitting in the Chamber for Betty Boothroyd’s tributes,” Hodgson says. “Sitting there, remembering Betty, just thinking: I might never – probably will never – get the chance to go for Speaker [because the role will go to the Conservatives next time]… That’s fine because deputy speaker is still amazing.”

She spoke to Starmer and chief whip Alan Campbell about it, then set her “apprenticeship” in motion with appointments to the Finance Committee, House of Commons Commission and R&R client board.

“Gosh, they do a lot more than just sit in the chair, deputising for the Speaker. They have a whole role in the management and running and leadership of the House,” she realised. “When you get behind the scenes, and you see all the people who are running the show for us, that's great.”

Citing her love of chairing big meetings (she is thinking of a select committee chair run if this does not work out), Hodgson also promises to offer a “confidential ear” – particularly to new MPs, as she remembers not having someone as approachable as her in a powerful position when she first arrived in 2005.

I had this Damascus Road experience

She lists those in charge then: Hilary (now Baroness) Armstrong as chief whip, Michael Martin as speaker, Alan Haselhurst and Michael Lord as