Article snippet: John Bercow, the stentorian speaker of the British House of Commons, wouldn’t take the bait. In an interview Tuesday, Bercow wouldn’t criticize fiery Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whom last week he compared to a bank robber. The speaker wouldn’t comment on whether he opposes a “no-deal” Brexit, which Johnson has said he is determined to implement Oct. 31, even though the House of Commons last week demanded an extension if no exit agreement is reached with the European Union. And Bercow wouldn’t cast stones at President Trump, either, despite withering criticism in the past of his immigration policies. Instead, like a tennis player using the angles, Bercow took aim at all three subjects without challenging them head-on. In precise, passionate language that has gained him global notoriety, Bercow returned again and again to the critical role that legislatures — in this case, the House of Commons — play in a democracy. “The role of a parliamentary democracy should be preserved, nurtured, and celebrated,” Bercow said. “If we degrade Parliament, we do so at our peril.” Bercow, who announced last week he is stepping down in October, visited the Globe amid heightened tension between Johnson’s Conservative government and Parliament, where the prime minister does not command a majority. Many British legislators viewed Johnson’s decision last week to suspend Parliament until mid-October as a cynically transparent ploy to run out the clock before the Brexit deadline, when ... Link to the full article to read more