Speaker crests his next rise in his climb to fame

John Bercow's coat of arms

Never the most modest of men, Speaker John Bercow has outdone himself: unveiling not only his £22,000 official portrait, but also its £15,000 frame, which includes a new Bercow coat of arms.

Above the motto "All Are Equal", the crest depicts a ladder, four balls and a pair of curved "seax" knives. The ladder represents the Speaker's climb, from his humble beginnings as the son of a north London taxi driver to the political top-flight.

The balls represent his love of tennis – a youth champ, he used to beat David Cameron on the court regularly. The Saxon knives denote Essex, where he was a student, while the rainbow colours and pink triangles on the scroll refer to his championing of LGBT rights.