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Campaign to oust Speaker gains cross-party support
Nicholas Cecil18.05.09
At least 15 MPs today backed a historic motion of no confidence in Commons Speaker Michael Martin.
Six Conservative, six Liberal Democrat and three Labour MPs put their names to the move to force out a Speaker for the first time in more than 300 years.
The motion, drawn up by Tory backbencher Douglas Carswell, leaves Mr Martin facing an unprecedented battle to cling onto his job until the next general election.
In a sign that support for Mr Martin is ebbing away, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson became the latest Cabinet minister not to give him his full backing.
Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg has called on the Speaker to quit and shadow foreign secretary William Hague has branded him a “problem” — but stopped short of urging him to go.
The 14 other MPs who have agreed to sign Mr Carswell's motion include former shadow home secretary David Davis, senior Conservative backbencher Richard Shepherd, Tory Richard Bacon, who has twice been named parliamentarian of the year, Labour MP Kate Hoey and Lib-Dem health spokesman Norman Lamb.
The others are Tories Philip Hollobone, the MP who claimed the least expenses in 2007/08, and Philip Davies, Labour's Paul Flynn and Gordon Prentice, and Lib-Dems Norman Baker, Lynne Featherstone, Jo Swinson, Stephen Williams and John Hemmings.
In addition, Lib-Dem MP Chris Huhne is among a group of MPs who have signalled that they will put their name to the motion.
Mr Martin's supporters went on the offensive this morning, accusing his critics in the House of being “cowardly” and spreading “poison” — and the media of treating him like a “paedophile”. Labour MP Jim Sheridan said: “They attack a man who can't defend himself.”
But Tory leader David Cameron made clear that only parliamentary protocol was stopping him from revealing his true feelings about the Speaker and called for a “swift” resolution to the crisis.
Ahead of an emergency statement to the Commons by Mr Martin, Mr Cameron said: “The whole point of the Speaker is he must be above party politics.
"So, it would not be right for the official Opposition to call for him to go or to force him to go. But clearly this issue has to be resolved and resolved quickly.”
A growing number of MPs were today publicly demanding that Mr Martin step down. “We need a leader who can speak for the whole of the Commons and is trusted by MPs and the country as a whole,” said Mr Bacon, who sits on the Commons public accounts committee. “I'm afraid that's not Michael Martin.”
If ousted, the Glasgow North East MP would become the first Speaker to be forced out since Sir John Trevor was expelled from Parliament in March 1695 after taking a £1,000 bribe from the Corporation of London.
Asked about Mr Martin's future, Lord Mandelson said: “That's a purely House of Commons matter. It would be really unacceptable if the Government started weighing in and trying to tell the House of Commons what to do.”
MPs are discussing installing as “caretaker” Speaker an MP who is retiring at the next general election, so Westminster can immediately start to rebuild its reputation.
A “caretaker” Speaker could address Tory opposition to another Labour or a Liberal Democrat MP being elected to this key post for another five or 10 years.
MPs likely to win support for such a role are likely to include Labour's Tony Wright, the chairman of the all-party public administration committee, Father of the House Labour MP Alan Williams, who has the fifth lowest expense claims despite living 200 miles from Westminster, independent-minded former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe, or Conservative MP Michael Jack, chairman of the environment, food and rural affairs.
Mr Martin was today due to outline plans to tackle the sleaze storm which his allies hope will allow him to continue until the election.
Reader views (15)
Guy Fawkes come back please your needed!
- Mike, London England
Why dont we scrap the lot and start afresh!!
- Pamela Mckay, Dagenham Essex
Nothing, regarding MP's expenses, can be sorted out until Martin goes..
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire
If Labour do prop up this thoroughly discredited joke of a Speaker then that will be the final proof that they have only contempt for democracy, decency, the rule of Parliament and the will of the people. For them to do that, purely in their own narrow party political interest will tell the voters of Britain all that they need to know about why they should never vote Labour again.
- Matt, London, UK
I have every expectation that English justice will deliver a number of our MPs from their current neighbourhood to mine, but I think the media persecution of Michael Martin is unjust. The telegraph reports on its website that he "used taxpayers' money to pay for chauffeur-driven cars to his local job centre and Celtic's football ground" but this is hardly the dimensions of abuse that will lead to the incarceration of many of his fellow MPs. As I gather it, he has been working behind the scenes to improve the propriety of the expenses system and it is quite unacceptable that he should be pillaried for the abuses perpetrated by others or for seeking to ensure that the House should not prejudice due process regarding the work that was being done to make the system operate effectively. Incidentally, I do think toffs should be debarred from the judicial system. Evidently, they haven't got a clue.
- Prototypical Englishman, Wormwood Scrubs
Another Scot caught on the fiddle, kick him and the others out NOW rather than letting them resign and claim massive pensions etc
- Mike, London England
It looks as if the Labour govt is going to shore up the Speaker to try to avert a crisis. This will be a disaster for our democracy or what's left of it. Confidence in the government has totally collapsed, the Prime Minister is a dead duck and several cabinet and lesser ministers, including the Chancellor, look to some like petty criminals. But confidence has also collapsed in the whole House.
David Cameron and Nick Clegg are both doing exactly the right thing short of being able to force an election. Cameron is right to purge his party, Clegg right to call for new managament of the House under an independent, intelligent and scandal-free speaker.
If Speaker Martin is seen to stay protected by a totally discredited government, the price Labour is going to pay will be devastating. Let them look across the floor at the Liberals and remember they were once the natural party of government until they became mired in scandal, corruption and incompetence. They never, ever got back in.
Let Speaker Martin resign with dignity if not honour and from this afternoon aggressively start to clean up Parliament.
- Tom Moncrieff, london W6
He's an old-style Labour backroom boy. No way in this world Michael Martin will choose to go voluntarily. All honour is gone from the U.K. Parliament. Honour is the foundation of all parliamentary democracies, and over the past decade it's disappeared at Westminster. The U.S. founding fathers were a bit wiser in seeing that honour systems are open to human imperfection; they put in checks and balances as a backup.
- Phil Jones, London UK
I am sick and tired of Michael Martin and his supporters saying this is about a class thing. It isn't - its about his arrogance and lack of suitability for the task. Labour Scottish MP's do them themselves no favours when they trot this bilge out. Its akin to someone in court claiming the judge is biased because he might be middle or upper class. Michael Martin and his ilk are perpetuating a class war that appalls people from all backgrounds. He's useless and has presided over an attempted cover up. He needs to go this week and we need a general election in the summer. Its obvious why he wants to hang on. A big payoff and fatter pension. His snout is glued to the troff not simply resting in it. Lets hope the no confidence vote can unstick him!
- David S., Ealing
Who wants to bet that when he does go his redundancy and pension payouts will be modest and not at all obscene?
- Bob, Cheam
Only the very foolish will be distracted by this MP smokescreen. Taxpayers need to see MPs suspected of fraud urgently investigated and charged as necessary. Observing MPs behaving like rats on the ship trying to truss up the Speaker and somehow present him as the Fred Goodwin of the House of Commons should not take focus away from accused MPs facing the due process of law.
- Jim, london
This is the last stop for the Gravy Train. All alight here. Return tickets no longer valid...
- Hb, London, UK
He must go now, he has no competence, no credibility and no Commons support.
This buffoon is an embarrassment to his Party, Parliament and the country and it unthinkable that he will remain in post until the next election.
- Manny Goldstein, London, UK
Whe the delay? Kick him out NOW
- Mike, London England
The sooner this scheming, self centred nasty barrel of lard goes the better.If ever a man needs to get his life in ORDER,ORDER the better.
- G.Diamond, Romford Essex
