<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament . The office is currently held by John Bercow, who was initially elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin . He was returned as an MP in the 2010 general election and was re-elected as Speaker when the House sat at the start of the new Parliament on 18 May 2010 . He was again returned as an MP in the 2015 general election and was re-elected, unopposed, as Speaker when the House sat at the start of the new Parliament on 18 May 2015 and again on 13 June 2017 . </P> <P> The Speaker presides over the House's debates, determining which members may speak . The Speaker is also responsible for maintaining order during debate, and may punish members who break the rules of the House . Unlike presiding officers of legislatures in many other countries, the Speaker remains strictly non-partisan, and renounces all affiliation with his or her former political party when taking office as well as when leaving the office . The Speaker does not take part in debate or vote (except to break ties; and even then, the convention is that the speaker casts the tie - breaking vote according to Speaker Denison's rule). Aside from duties relating to presiding over the House, the Speaker also performs administrative and procedural functions, and remains a constituency Member of Parliament (MP). The Speaker has the right and obligation to reside in Speaker's House at the Palace of Westminster . </P>

What is the name of the speaker of parliament