Four reasons why Speaker Martin should go now

I just watched the House of Commons Speaker Michael Martin make his statement to the House over the fiasco and crisis with MPs' expenses.

The moment had quite historic overtones and one could feel a palpable tension across the whole House with some honourable MPs clearly very angry, reflecting the mood in the country at large.

Mr Martin told a packed chamber that he was "profoundly sorry" for his failure to prevent abuses of the allowances system, which is all very well and right that he should do, but he failed to respond to repeated demands by MPs to give a date for his departure or indeed to either discuss his future or give the House the opportunity to debate the 'motion of no confidence' against him.

The Speaker scolded some members who interrupted his address to challenge his position. He refused to discuss his own future and stopped the House from doing so too.

As I have been arguing over the last week, Speaker Martin must go. He should go for the following reasons:

• For being instrumental in stopping reform of expenses over the last 3 years at least.


• For his disgraceful treatement of at least two MPs in a statement on MPs expenses last week, when he was clearly NOT non-partisan... as the Speaker should always be and for completely misreading the public mood on the issue.


• For being responsible ultimately for the Department of Resources, otherwise known as the 'Fees Office'... who are, to my mind, responsible for this whole fiasco, jointly with all the MPs who have abused their expenses claims... but who were guided or should one say misguided by this office... and who had their false claims for expenses approved, (some which are bound to be proved as fraudulent).


• Lastly, for allowing the House of Commons system to bring the whole structure, MPs and the administration of the House, to fall into disrepute in this sad and disgracefull manner!

Tell your MP

I think it is important that our MPs have absolutely no doubt how we, the electorate feel about these very important issues. In this light, I have emailed my MP Bob Blizzard (MP for Waveney) urging him to support the motion of no confidence against Speaker Martin. If you agree with my argument here, and feel that Speaker Martin should go as soon as possible, I would suggest you do the same as me and let your own MP know!

Cameron calls for dissolution of Parliament

Meanwhile, at a press conference opening the Conservative campaign in the forthcoming European elections, David Cameron, the Opposition leader called for the immediate dissolution of Parliament and for a General Election to be held, "to let the public help solve the political crisis caused by the row over MPs' expenses".

David Cameron said the scale of the problems facing Britain, including the recession, the debt crisis and the expenses scandal, all suggested a vote was needed sooner rather than later.... and I think the country at large, agrees. I certainly do!

Do you agree?

House of Commons Speaker Michael Martin: Should he resign?
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