10 lawmakers in the race to take over Martin's post

London: Ten MPs are in the running to become the next Commons Speaker, it emerged yesterday amid claims that party whips were involved in a plot to try to swing the contest.

As nominations closed in the race to replace Michael Martin as the most senior commoner in the land, junior whips in the Labour and Conservative parties were accused of plotting with a large group of backbenchers to derail the chances of the Tory MP for Buckingham, John Bercow, and put in a "safe" candidate who had "suffered the pain" of the expenses scandal and would be more sympathetic to their plight.

There were also reports of a collusion between factions of the two main parties to promote Margaret Beckett in a bid to oust Bercow from the contest.

Harriet Harman, the leader of the Commons, denied a behind-the-scenes operation was being staged to make the former foreign secretary the third Labour Speaker in succession.

But one Labour backbencher called on whips to stop "touting" the Derby South MP, who has emerged as the 11th-hour favourite as support for Conservative Bercow has apparently ebbed away.

Candidates to succeed Martin in the famous green leather chair were required to register their nominations with the Commons authorities yesterday.

Each secured the required backing of between 12 and 15 fellow MPs, at least three of whom had to come from outside their own party.

They will all be given the chance to set out their bid in a speech to the house this afternoon.

The new Speaker will be chosen for the first time by secret ballot, with MPs taking part in a series of rounds of voting which will take up the whole of Commons business for today.

In each round, the candidate with the lowest level of support will be eliminated, along with any receiving less than 5 per cent of the vote. The winner is the first to secure more than 50 per cent of votes cast in any round.

Whoever wins will be charged with restoring trust and confidence in parliament in the wake of its battering over the expenses scandal.

The election will take place against the backdrop of criminal inquiries by the Metropolitan police into a number of MPs' expenses claims.

Martin, the Speaker since 2000, officially vacated the position after being forced out by MPs angry at his handling of the crisis.

Beckett, who was the bookmakers' favourite to win, could also prove controversial with the public if elected as his replacement.