Devon Baroness may be new speaker

Former Devon MP Baroness Fookes is one of nine candidates for the new post of Speaker in the House of Lords.

As Janet Fookes, she was a Conservative MP in Plymouth from 1974 to 1997, and often took the chair as Deputy Speaker in the Commons.

Only peers sitting in the House of Lords will have a vote, which they will cast on 28 June.

Nominations for the position closed on Monday night and the result will be announced on 4th July.

In her election address Baroness Fookes said: "The Lord Speaker must be the servant of the House and not its master - this best sums up what I believe the House wants and to which I wholeheartedly subscribe.

"In working this out in practice I would draw on my experience as a Deputy Speaker but I would also wish to work closely with the Procedure Committee."