Speaker Beckett?

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

Margaret Beckett has announced her intention to stand for the role of Speaker of the House of Commons, saying on Wednesday night:

“We’ve got very considerable problems in Parliament. We have got to make changes. After the next election, if we have a more finely balanced chamber than we have had in the recent past, it will be a very different ball game. I hope I can help us deal with that.”

On Monday there is a Hansard hustings event for potential candidates for the role of Speaker. Prospective candidates will have the opportunity to make a statement and answer questions from MPs and those submitted by members of the public via the Hansard Society website.

Beckett is not yet on the list of those speaking at the Hansard event, but she is expected to be added over the weekend. The following have already been confirmed for the event:

* Alan Beith MP

* John Bercow MP

* Frank Field MP

* Sir Patrick Cormack MP

* Sir Alan Haselhurst MP

* Richard Shepherd MP

* Sir George Young MP

Other notable omisions from the list as it stands are:

* Anne Widdecombe, who announced that she would stand yesterday and said she would “connect very well with the public”.

* Menzies Campbell, who wrote a provocative Manifesto in the Times yesterday.

I will be live Tweeting to LabourList from the event on Monday.