MP drowned out by clapping after saying he wants to ban clapping

The election of a speaker is a rare moment in British politics – much less frequent than a general election.

After speaker John Bercow decided to step down after 10 years in the job, several other politicians put themselves forward to replace him.

Harriet Harman, Chris Bryant and Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle were among the candidates.

Bryant, who finished second in the race, spoke about his proposed plans for the Speaker’s Office in the House of Commons.

During his speech, he said:

I want to stop the clapping.

This was, inevitably, responded to with loud claps and roars of laughter.

After waiting for the clapping to subside, Bryant said.

Yes, very funny! Can we return to waving the order papers, that’s the traditional way.

Clapping is officially banned in the Chamber. It's one of the British parliament's most bizarre rules - as new SNP MPs found out when they were told off for clapping in 2015.

You can wave your order papers, shout until you are purple in the face, hurl abuse across the Chamber, join in with frankly weird displays of mass groaning or that elongated "hear, hear" thing they do.

But no clapping.

Clapping is only permitted, in a convention, when a prime minister gives their final speech in the House of Commons.

More: John Bercow's 12 funniest House of Commons moments to mark his decision to stay on as Speaker