Tory MP calls for Speaker to quit

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Tory Douglas Carswell said Mr Martin should set a date for his departure and be replaced by someone "who understands that there is a problem with Westminster politics".

Many MPs are thought to be privately unhappy with the way the furore over MPs' claims has been handled by the authorities in the wake of the Derek Conway scandal.

But the Conservative backbench MP for Harwich set out his complaints publicly in the Mail on Sunday and challenged Mr Martin to continue calling him to speak in debates.

"We need to clean up Westminster politics and take action to restore faith in our political system," the MP wrote.

"First, Speaker Martin must step down. Perhaps not immediately, but he needs to set a date for his departure now.

"Second, MPs need to choose a Speaker who understands that there is a problem with Westminster politics - and is willing and able to see something done about it.

"Finally, we need to scrap the 'gentlemen's club' rules used to run our legislature, and make Westminster politicians much more directly accountable to the voters.

"Until Speaker Martin goes, we will make little progress with anything else."

His comments come days after Westminster anti-sleaze chief Sir Christopher Kelly, chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, criticised the handling of the row.