CHORLEY MP Sir Lindsay Hoyle has announced he would be standing to replace John Bercow as Commons Speaker.

It comes after Mr Bercow announced on Monday that he would be standing down at the end of the month.

Mr Bercow, who has held the influential post in parliament for just over 10 years, also said he would step down as MP for Buckingham too.

The Speaker told the Commons he would resign on Monday night in the unlikely event that MPs voted for an early general election.

He said if they did not he would stand aside on October 31, and early on Tuesday morning they failed to back an immediate general election.

The race to succeed him has already started, with two candidates announcing they intend to stand - including current deputy speaker Lindsay Hoyle.

He tweeted: "Now that there is a vacancy for the Office of Speaker of the House of Commons, I am happy to confirm that I will be standing as a candidate."

Sir Hoyle also paid tribute to Mr Bercow's "dedication and service", saying on twitter that "He is a champion of LGBT and BAME rights and we now have a more diverse and representative House than ever before."

Veteran Tory MP Sir Edward Leigh also confirmed his intention to stand to replace Mr Bercow.

Mr Bercow said: "At the 2017 election, I promised my wife and children that it would be my last. This is a pledge that I intend to keep."