The heads of two Commons committees are calling for John Bercow to resign as Speaker after a report said that “disturbing” allegations of sexual harassment by MPs had been “tolerated and concealed”.

Sir Kevin Barron, who leads the standards committee, intervened after the conclusions of an independent inquiry into harassment of Commons staff were published.

The report by Dame Laura Cox, 66, found that it would be “extremely difficult” for the “current senior House administration”, including the Speaker, to bring about the changes required. It added that Mr Bercow was incapable of addressing a culture of “deference, subservience, acquiescence and silence” among Commons staff.

Writing in The Times, Sir Kevin, 71, says: “The change in culture has to come from the top, and unfortunately