Editing William Hague (section)

===Leader of the House of Commons and retirement===
Once Hague had formally declared his intention not to seek re-election as MP for Richmond at the forthcoming [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], he told [[David Cameron]] he would be standing down as Foreign Secretary. Cameron instigated a [[Cabinet reshuffle]] whereby Hague became [[Leader of the House of Commons]]. Hague remained as Cameron's "''de facto'' political deputy", retained his membership of the [[National Security Council (United Kingdom)|National Security Council]] and played a lead role in reaching out to voters in the [[North of England]] in the run up to the general election.<ref>{{cite news|title=William Hague quits as Foreign Secretary in Cabinet reshuffle|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28291281|access-date=15 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160729184936/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28291281|archive-date=29 July 2016}}</ref>

In a surprise motion on his last day in the House of Commons, Hague moved to make the election for [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker]] in the next parliament a secret ballot, in what was seen as an effort to oust the incumbent [[John Bercow]] for lacking the neutrality expected of a Speaker of the House. [[Charles Walker (British politician)|Charles Walker]], [[Broxbourne (UK Parliament constituency)|Conservative MP for Broxbourne]], Chairman of the [[Procedure Committee]] and responsible for [[Parliamentary procedure|Speaker elections]], stated that he had written a report about such an idea "years ago" and despite speaking with Hague and [[Michael Gove]] earlier that week, neither had told him of any such move. A visibly emotional Walker told the House, "I have been played as a fool. When I go home tonight, I will look in the mirror and see an honourable fool looking back at me. I would much rather be an honourable fool, in this and any other matter, than a clever man." Walker received a standing ovation, mainly from the Labour benches, while the Government lost its parliamentary motion by 228 to 202 votes.<ref name=pat>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/26/tory-backbench-rebellion-defeats-hagues-attempt-to-unseat-speaker-john-bercow|title=Tory backbench rebellion defeats Hague's attempt to unseat Speaker|work=Guardian newspapers|author=Patrick Wintour|date=27 March 2015|access-date=27 March 2015|archive-date=19 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019072445/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/26/tory-backbench-rebellion-defeats-hagues-attempt-to-unseat-speaker-john-bercow|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=ann>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/an-honourable-fool-brings-the-house-down-trmblmswnjd|title=An honourable fool brings the House down|work=Times newspapers|author=Ann Treneman|date=27 March 2015|access-date=27 March 2015|archive-date=27 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327075610/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/sketch/article4394293.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2015-03-26/debates/15032630000002/ProcedureOfTheHouse|title=Procedure of the House|work=Hansard|date=26 March 2015|volume=594|access-date=1 August 2019|archive-date=1 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801002858/https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2015-03-26/debates/15032630000002/ProcedureOfTheHouse|url-status=live}}</ref> During the debate, Labour MP [[Gerald Kaufman]] denounced Hague, saying: "Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this grubby decision is what he personally will be remembered for? After a distinguished career in the House of Commons, both as a leader of a party and as a senior Cabinet Minister, he has now descended to squalor in the final days of the Parliament."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Today's Business of the House - Thursday 26 March 2015 - Hansard - UK Parliament|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2015-03-26/debates/15032623000002/Today%E2%80%99SBusinessOfTheHouse|access-date=31 October 2021|website=Hansard|language=en|archive-date=29 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029012945/https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2015-03-26/debates/15032623000002/Today%E2%80%99SBusinessOfTheHouse|url-status=live}}</ref>

He was succeeded as MP for Richmond (Yorks) by future Chancellor of the Exchequer, future Prime Minister, and future Leader of the Opposition [[Rishi Sunak]].