As the Speaker doesn’t participate in debates or ask questions in the House, his constituents sometimes feel unrepresented although he may raise their problems privately with Ministers. Because it is conventional for the main parties not to oppose the Speaker in elections, his constituents sometimes feel disenfranchised.
As is often the case, STV in multi-member constituencies offers a solution.
The parties could enfranchise the constituents by putting up candidates without opposing the Speaker. Each party would recommend its supporters to give their first preferences to the Speaker and their next preferences to the party’s candidates. Constituents would have a chance to vote, the Speaker would win overwhelmingly and the remaining seats would be distributed proportionally.
The constituents would also be represented in the House by active MPs who could represent them more openly than the Speaker could.