UKIP has named a candidate, one Dave Fowler, according to Wells:

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/buckingham

It's not unknown for "mid-major"[*] parties to challenge incumbent Speakers: the SNP always contested Glasgow Springburn/North-East against Martin.

[*] I define major parties as Con and Lab, plus LD except in Euro elections; mid-major as LD (Euros only), SNP, PC, UKIP [**], BNP, Green; and everything else as minor. Unless I've missed an obvious one! :)

[**] Who, in turn, should probably be considered major at Euro elections.

Tory pettiness?

Surely the petty ones are those on the Labour benches who voted for Bercow because he would be the candidate to 'stick it to the Tories' rather than because he would make a good Speaker. Putting party above parliament at a time like this is beyond petty.

Putting party above parliament would have meant Beckett would have won easily. The Tory pettiness was the spiteful manner in which they reacted to Bercow's eventual victory, which varied from indifference to the stupidity of the likes of Dorries. 12 years of defeats and they still haven't got the hang of it.

If I had still been an MP (and as someone who regularly rebelled against the wishes of officialdom on the Labour side), I would have voted for Beckett first and would have gone for Becow when she dropped out. I would have done this purely on my assessment of their abilities to be Speaker. One advantage of being in the hot house is that you get a chance to observe others' qualities. Although my assessments are clearly dated.

Actually I find the concept of an effectively unchallenged MP undemocratic. So, although the Tories may be acting in a churlish and spiteful way, the electors in Buckinghamshire will be better served because of it. I hope Labour put up a candidate.

Indeed, we've announced it.

"UKIP today announces that it will be contesting the Buckingham parliamentary constituency at the next election against the new Speaker, John Bercow.

"John Bercow is not the man to bring the much needed transparency and honesty to Parliament." said Nigel Farage, UKIP leader." His own behaviour over expenses claims, second house flipping and the rest have made him untenable as a long term choice.

"We in UKIP will therefore be standing against him at the next election. Our prospective candidate is Dave Fowler, 57, who has lived in the area all his life and runs his own plumbing business there.

"Buckingham needs a voice, not a Speaker, so we will take Bercow on and when we defeat him Parliament will have an opportunity to think again.""