What the papers say: The John Bercow row rumbles on

John Bercow has insisted that admitting he backed ‘Remain’ in the EU referendum doesn’t compromise his politically neutrality. Some MPs, like Tom Watson – who hailed Bercow as one of the ‘great Speakers’ – have stepped in to defend him. But after his intervention on Trump and his willingness to air his thoughts on Brexit, the Speaker is under mounting pressure. He faces a vote of no confidence tabled by Conservative MP James Duddridge. And the newspapers continue to voice their anger at Bercow in today’s editorials. ‘What an embarrassment’ Bercow has become, says the Daily Mail. The paper suggests the boast he made to students about backing ‘Remain’ is the final straw. After all, ‘overtly taking sides on such a divisive issue shatters the most sacred principle of the Speaker’s office – scrupulous political neutrality.’ His close friendship with Keith Vaz is also the subject of discussion in the Mail. But most of all, Bercow’s overweening arrogance and baleful lack of judgment’ make one thing clear for the Mail: he is now ‘unfit’ for office.