article_snippet: Before Lib Dem Treasury minister Danny Alexander statement even got underway, the near-empty Commons Speaker John Bercow cast doubt on the exercise, insisting statements 'have to be ministerial, delivered not in a personal or party capacity but on behalf of the Government'.
article_snippet: Mr Bercow had said Mr Bercow would be put in a difficult position if Mr Alexander used 'the privilege accorded to ministers for purely party purposes'
article_snippet: but Mr Bercow took a back seat for much of the speech.
article_snippet: Before the statement, Mr Bercow said: 'The content of ministerial statements is by a longstanding practice not a matter for the chair, nor is my permission required for such a statement to be made. '
article_snippet: But these statements have to be ministerial, delivered not in a personal or a party capacity but on behalf of this Government. '
article_snippet: While some latitude is, of course, permitted, there does come a point at which using the privilege accorded to ministers for purely party purposes would be unfair to the House and put the chair in a very difficult position.