JOHN Bercow has been accused of failing to show "courtesy and respect" to MPs by Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom as the Commons was engulfed in a major row over Brexit.
The Cabinet minister continued her feud with the Speaker during a lengthy points of order session following his statement on the holding of future meaningful votes.
It started with him reprimanding her for fiddling with her mobile phone during the exchanges, causing anger on the Tory benches.
Bercow said: "I hope the Government would feel that respect for procedure does matter.
"I note that as (SNP shadow Commons leader MP Pete Wishart) asks his question and I respond, the Leader of the House is playing with her electronic device, and so is the deputy chief whip.
"I didn't include him in the category of very senior people in the House but that's a debatable proposition I readily grant."
There were heckles from Tory MPs and the deputy chief whip Chris Pincher, who accused the Speaker of being the one failing to show the House respect.
Bercow went on: "It would seem to me to be helpful if people showed respect for each other in these circumstances and, if they're in the chamber, listened to what other people have to say, but if they choose not to do so then so be it.
"I try to show good manners and I hope others will do so as well."
Pincher responded by tweeting from within the chamber: "I was cancelling my next appointment because he was going on for so long. At this rate we'll be out of the EU before he finishes."
Leadsom also hit back later in the session following a question from Lib Dem MP Sir Ed Davey, who asked whether a "Speaker's Conference" could be convened to try to bring the Commons together.
Bercow said it would have to be instigated by the Government, and that Leadsom was a "notable reformer" and therefore may be willing to initiate one.
But the Commons Leader said: "I just want to be very clear, I am indeed a reforming Leader of the House of the Commons, and for me, treating colleagues with courtesy and respect is at the forefront of that reform.
"And any Speaker's Conference would have to have that at its heart, and I simply would not be confident that that would be the case."
The Speaker responded: "Well, so be it. I treat the House with respect, I've treated its members with respect. I chaired a previous Speaker's Conference and there was no criticism of the way in which I did so."
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