Results of Speaker ballots - John Bercow elected

8.45pm: Both Gordon Brown and David Cameron make jokes about John Bercow "casting aside" his political views on paying tribute on his election. Brown says: "Some of us thought you had done that some time ago". Cameron meanwhile said that as far as Conservatives were concerned, "let's hope that includes all of them". The Tory leader also said that it went "without saying that you have the support of these benches" as he goes about his job as Speaker and overseeing reforms. David Cameron also marked the fact that John Bercow is the first Speaker to have been born into the Jewish faith, and also revealed to the Commons that he and the new Speaker-elect were once the first pair in the Commons and Lords tennis team.

8.40pm: John Bercow accepts the office of Speaker with a gracious speech, thanking his fellow candidates for their contribution to the debate. He said that the House has bestowed upon him "the greatest honour I have enjoyed in my professional life" and that he was aware of the "obligations into which I now enter". He emphasised that he was casting aside his previously held views and that he would be impartial and do his best to serve the House.

8.30pm RESULT ANNOUNCED: JOHN BERCOW ELECTED SPEAKER 

JOHN BERCOW - 322

SIR GEORGE YOUNG - 271

8pm: A result should be announced in the next half hour. Comment Central cite rumours that there will be 10 or 20 votes in it...

7.25pm: It's now Young v Bercow and all the money is going to Mr B. (Tim: Ugh) (Jonathan: Hurrah!)

6.55pm SECOND BALLOT RESULT

Beckett 70

Beith 46

Bercow 221

Haselhurst 57

Widdecombe 30 (OUT)

Young 174

Widdecombe, Beith, Beckett and Haselhurst all went backwards. It's a two horse race.

6.44pm: Important blog from James Forsyth on David Maclean: "I don’t agree with Maclean on the FOI issue but he does deserve a huge amount of credit for turning up to vote in the Speaker election despite being seriously sick and debilitated by multiple sclerosis. It says everything about Maclean’s dedication to Parliament that he is prepared to come to the House in an ambulance and in such a bad state that he has to be attended to by two medics so that he can vote."

6.11pm: Why on earth haven't Widdecombe and Beith withdrawn?  They're only delaying this whole process now.  I wonder if their vote will actually fall in the second round?

6.09pm: Good blog from Michael Crick: "For every round of voting in this election, the Commons is having to print a new ballot paper, each with fewer and fewer names, as candidates are either excluded or withdraw. "Considering how good at redacting they are," suggests a senior Conservative, "why can't they just blank them out!""

5.57pm: Tom Harris MP's latest Twitter - "Received wisdom is that Beckett needed to beat George Young in first ballo to stay in, which she didn't."

5.38pm: Why does it add up to only 593 plus one spoilt ballot paper? Where are the other MPs?

5.35pm: No voluntary withdrawals from the race.

5.30pm Ed Vaizey is predicting a Sir George Young victory: "I now predict Sir George Young will win - he came second and he will pick up most of the votes of the bottom candidates - Shepherd; Widdecombe; Cormack and Haselhurst.  Bercow will get some WIddecombe votes and most of Beckett’s.  The hardest to read ar Alan Beith’s 55 votes, presumably all Lib Dems, but they could go in every direction.  Young made the best speech, and there is agrowing feeling that he will be a healing speaker, if not a media-savvy one"

FIRST BALLOT RESULT

Beckett 74
Beith 55
Bercow 179
Cormack 13 (OUT)
Dhanda 26 (OUT)
Haselhurst 66
Lord 9 (OUT)
Shepherd 15 (OUT)
Widdecombe 44
Young 112