JOHN Bercow was embroiled in a Commons spat with a Tory critic on his last day as Speaker as MPs continued to pay tribute to his 10 years in the role.

As MPs debated a report to suspend Labour's Keith Vaz, who was found to have "expressed willingness" to purchase cocaine for others, Andrew Bridgen told Mr Bercow at the “fag-end” of his tenure he was “defending the indefensible and your very close relationship with[Mr Vaz]”.

The Speaker told the Leicestershire MP: "He can try to smear me, he will get the square root of nowhere."

He insisted he was not trying to defend Mr Vaz’s conduct but, rather, was “defending colleagues, members of the public, the integrity of an independent process”.

Mr Bercow was praised for championing women's rights and sensitive issues by granting debates on abortion and the contaminated blood scandal.

Labour's Paula Sherriff told him: "Your humanity and your personal touch will never be forgotten.”

The election of a new Speaker will take place on Monday.

Potential successors to Mr Bercow include:

*Sir Lindsay Hoyle, 62, Deputy Speaker and the bookies’ favourite. The MP for Chorley since 1997 insists his track record has shown him to be “independent and fair”.

*Eleanor Laing, 61, Paisley-born Deputy Speaker, who has been MP for Epping Forest in Essex since 1997. Was Shadow Scottish Secretary for seven months under Michael Howard’s leadership. Suggested Mr Bercow had “loaded the dice” over Brexit.

*Harriet Harman, 69, Mother of the House, who has represented Peckham since 1982. Held several ministerial posts under the Blair and Brown Governments, was deputy Labour leader for eight years and acting leader for several months following the 2015 election and before Jeremy Corbyn became leader.

*Chris Bryant, 57, a former Anglican vicar has been the Labour MP for the Rhondda since 2001, is something of an expert on parliamentary procedure, having written a history of Westminster. Served under Gordon Brown as Deputy Commons Leader and a Foreign Office Minister.