John Bercow has been elected the 157th Speaker of the House of Commons in an unprecedented secret ballot. An MP since 1997, Bercow becomes the first Jewish Speaker, and follows the first ever Catholic Speaker.

From the BBC:

"The Buckingham MP received 322 votes to his rival and fellow Conservative MP Sir George Young's 271.

A message is being sent to Buckingham Palace for approval. Mr Bercow said it was the "greatest honour" of his political life.

He will replace Michael Martin, who stepped down after nine years in the job amid the furore over MPs' expenses.

After the result was announced Mr Bercow was "dragged" to the chair, a tradition for the new Speaker, and pledged to cast aside his political views and be "completely impartial". He also congratulated his nine rivals.

He said MPs felt "very sore and very vulnerable" in the wake of the expenses scandal but added "large members of the public also feel angry and disappointed".