LONDON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Speaker of British House of Commons John Bercow plans to stay on beyond what members of parliament (MPs) had expected to be his retirement this summer, media reports said here Wednesday.
The speaker told the Guardian that it was not sensible to vacate the chair while there were major issues before the British parliament.
Bercow's announcement in a keynote speech in Washington is expected to provoke fury among pre-Leave politicians, who have accused him of a remain bias, said the Guardian newspaper.
The report said that amid growing indications that some of the contenders to replace Theresa May as prime minister are willing to leave the European Union (EU) without a deal, Bercow has warned candidates not to try to force such an outcome without the permission of MPs.
The report said Bercow had told friends he intended to stand down this summer, possibly in July, after concluding 10 years in the post.
"But his remarks on Tuesday appear to confirm reports he was reconsidering after the UK did not leave the EU at the end of March," added the report.
Speaking to the Guardian after his Washington speech, Bercow said, "I've never said anything about going in July of this year. Secondly, I do feel that now is a time, in which momentous events are taking place and there are great issues to be resolved and in those circumstances, it doesn't seem to me sensible to vacate the chair."
The London Evening Standard said Bercow has faced criticism from pro-Brexit MPs, with hardliners raising fears he wanted to stop a no-deal exit from the bloc.
In January, he was accused of ignoring the advice of his officials on parliamentary procedure and blocking a vote on the withdrawal deal, said the Standard, adding Bercow has said he was "not setting himself up against the government but championing the rights of the House of Commons."
The speaker's job is to chair proceedings in the House of Commons, home to Britain's 650 MPs.
