John Bercow Photo: IC

John Bercow, who served as speaker of Britain's House of Commons (lower house of Parliament) during fraught debates over Brexit, has been suspended from the Labour Party, local media reported on Tuesday.

Bercow's membership has now been suspended, pending the outcome of an internal Labour probe, according to the Independent and Sky News. He joined the Labour Party in 2021.

His suspension came after a report published earlier in the day by an Independent Expert Panel (IEP) described him as a "liar" and a "serial bully."

In an 89-page adjudication, the panel reprimanded Bercow for his conduct while he held the highest office in the country's Parliament. He faced 21 allegations made by three senior House of Commons staff members.

The IEP sub-panel, headed by eminent High Court Judge Stephen Irwin, found Bercow's conduct to be so serious that he should never be allowed a pass to the parliamentary estate. 

The panel added that if he were still an MP, they would have recommended expelling him from the House of Commons.

The bullying and harassment policy was breached repeatedly and extensively by Bercow, the panel said.

Xinhua