Former Commons speaker John Bercow may himself be a victim of bullying following the Tories’ decision to refuse to award him a peerage, a shadow minister has said.

Labour deputy leadership candidate Dawn Butler said the Conservatives’ decision to depart with tradition and not give Mr Bercow a peerage after his decade in the chair could be “a form of bullying too”.

The shadow women and equalities minister added that the focus should be on why the Tories did not nominate the former speaker in the first place, suggesting it was “to do with Brexit”.

Ms Butler’s comments came after it was confirmed that a third complaint has been submitted about Mr Bercow’s behaviour.

Mr Bercow has denied all allegations of bullying made against him.

Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Show all 10 1 /10 Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Dennis Skinner - Labour Labour MP of 49 years Dennis Skinner lost his Bolsover seat to Conservative Mark Fletcher, losing 16% of the vote share PA Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Jo Swinson - Liberal Democrat Leader of the Liberal Democrats lost her Dunbartonshire East seat in a 6.8% swing to the SNP PA Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Anna Soubry - The Independent Group for Change Leader of The Independent Group for Change, formerly Conservative MP, Anna Soubry lost her Broxtowe seat, coming third behind the winning Conservatives and Labour PA Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Dominic Grieve - Independent Prominent Remain-backing MP Grieve lost the contest for Beaconsfield, coming second to the Conservatives, his former party AFP/Getty Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Luciana Berger - Liberal Democrat Luciana Berger lost the contest for Finchley and Golders Green, coming second to Conservative Mike Freer PA Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Laura Pidcock - Labour Prominent Corbyn ally Laura Pidcock lost her Durham North West seat to Conservative Richard Holden PA Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Chukka Umunna - Liberal Democrat Prominent anti-Brexit MP Chukka Umunna lost the contest for the Cities of London & Westminster, coming second to Conservative Nickie Aiken Getty Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Zac Goldsmith - Conservative Former candidate for Mayor of London Zac Goldsmith lost his Richmond Park seat to Liberal Democrat Sarah Olney PA Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Nigel Dodds - DUP Former leader of the DUP Nigel Dodds lost his Belfast North seat to Sinn Fein AFP/Getty Big beasts lose their seats: Prominent MPs gone after election Gareth Snell - Labour Labour MP Gareth Snell lost his Stoke-on-Trent central seat to the Conservatives PA

Speaking on Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Ms Butler said: “It is the norm that the speaker of the House is always given a peerage so I think the first question for me is why hasn’t he been given a peerage from the Conservatives?”

She added: “I would like to know the reason why he wasn’t given a peerage. I suspect it’s actually do to with Brexit rather than anything else.

“The other thing is due process has to happen so if you accuse somebody of bullying there has to be due process.”

Ms Butler said: ”If John Bercow’s been accused of bullying then there needs to be due process and has he been found guilty or is it just an accusation? And I think those are the things that we have to go through.

“We really do need to ask the Conservatives why is it that you haven’t like everybody else ensured that the speaker of the house is given a peerage? Otherwise I think that is a form of bullying too.”

Retiring speakers are traditionally nominated for a peerage by the prime minister.

But Boris Johnson refused to nominate Mr Bercow, so Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn did so instead.

Former clerk of the house Lord Lisvane and David Leakey, a former Black Rod, have filed complaints against Mr Bercow.

Lieutenant General Leakey has said Mr Bercow’s nomination for a peerage is inappropriate because of his behaviour.