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PM bars no-confidence vote on Speaker
19.05.09
Gordon Brown today refused to allow an immediate vote of no confidence in the Speaker as the battle over his fate escalated dramatically.
The Prime Minister defied senior backbenchers by ruling there were not enough MPs demanding a debate on the Speaker's future.
However, the Speaker's grip was slipping by the hour with the number of MPs signing the no confidence motion swelling to 23 this morning. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith today said Mr Martin's position “looked untenable”. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg was also poised to add his name to the list. Tory leader David Cameron added to the pressure on Mr Brown and the Speaker by stressing that if enough MPs sign the motion it should be debated.
Backbenchers seeking to topple the Speaker were this morning busily seeking more MPs to join the revolt. Downing Street played down the likelihood that Commons Leader Harriet
Harman would allow a debate even if 50 MPs signed the motion.
However, backbenchers who are not backing it say they are still prepared to publicly denounce Mr Martin to deliver the killer blow to his speakership. They hope he will fall on his sword within hours and tell Mr Brown, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg at a meeting this afternoon that he realises that his time is now up.
But this appeared unlikely with Mr Martin seeking to tough it out. With the House due to rise on Thursday, his greatest hope of survival appeared to be if the Government refuses this week to allow a debate on the motion of no confidence, now signed by 11 Conservative MPs, eight Lib-Dems and four Labour.
However, Mr Clegg has said that if Mr Brown rejects the calls for a debate, he will seek to force such a showdown. At a meeting of the parliamentary Labour party last night, former Cabinet minister Peter Hain warned Mr Brown that blocking a debate would leave the Government in a “bad place”.
In a desperate bid to cling on to his job, Mr Martin made a grovelling apology for his role in the expenses scandal. There were stormy scenes in the Commons yesterday as MPs including Douglas Carswell, the Tory who tabled the motion of no confidence, and fellow Tory Richard Shepherd led the attack on Mr Martin. However, Labour MPs were dismayed at the way he even fluffed this key moment by being confused over whether the no confidence move was an Early Day Motion or other form of parliamentary motion.
“I was surprised that he didn't seem to know the status of Douglas Carswell's motion,” said Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP for Bristol East. “I'd have thought he'd have been briefed on that before coming before the House.”
Today Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell, one of Mr Martin's main defenders, insisted that he could still carry on as Speaker despite the growing criticism. He said: “If the Speaker of the House does not have the support of the House, then of course, he will have to make his mind up. But we are not there yet.”
Mr Martin has gambled his future in the Commons on persuading the three leaders to swiftly agree plans to clean up Westminster but they fell out spectacularly last time they tried this over the second home allowance. Added to the disagreements, Mr Martin will have to persuade party leaders now refusing to support him in office as they see him as central to the expenses crisis.
The MP for Glasgow North East would become the first Speaker to be ousted since Sir John Trevor was expelled from Parliament in March 1695 after taking a £1,000 bribe from the Corporation of London.
Reader views (18)
Michael Martin confirms the Labour Government from 1997 till 2010 will be remembered as the period of British Government mediocrity.
- Joe, Thornton Heath, UK
The speaker has not conducted himself well in recent weeks, but this pantomime over his future is exactly the thing that disengages the public from politics.
The people are angry that MP's set their own rules on expenses, including exemption from taxes, to deliberately mislead the public on their real earnings and such activity is treated under criminal law when it is done by 'real' people.
I want justice and regardless of the rules in play at the time, if it is obvious that MP's manipulated the system for personal advantage, then they should be sacked and face the rule of law in the same way that the rest of society have to.
Special attention should be paid to the claims of those who tried to prevent the diclosure of this expense information to see if they have a guilty reason for their desire for more secrecy.
- Alex, Marlborough, Wilts.
I recently became a single mother of two working full time to pay my bills. I pay £570 per month rent which constitutes half my take home pay. When I asked for some assistance with rent I was told that I wasn't entitled to any as my rented property 'wasn't worth £570 a month only £350' (try finding a 3 bedroom house anywhere near here for that money!) and that even though my children are 10 and 12 (a boy and a girl) 'it was not necessary for them to have their own rooms and I was therefore "over housed". I am completely disgusted with the whole situation - the politicians of our country who are supposed to do the best for us are just a bunch of money grabbing, lying thieves who cream as much as they can from the tax payer and leave the rest of us to struggle to put food on our childrens plates. I have no confidence in not only the speaker of the house but in every politician.
- Bobbie, Aberystwyth
Will someone please ask Her Majesty to dissolve this current Parliament and call a General Election and then we can really see what the electorate think of the present bunch attempting to run the country, and milk it for all they can get.
- Neil Simmers, Calpe Spain
Jim, you're absolutely right. The real reason they want him out has nothing to do with his job performance at all, they're just using him as a scapegoat. They know if they sit still that they'll continue to be hounded by the media for their expenses (except for the exceptional few who claimed nothing), and so have turned their attention to him, because he's not in a particularly strong position. Sadly I think Brown should have come out and backed him fully, since he'd be doing the right thing even if it was unpopular, but blocking the debate is ok under the circumstances, even if it is a bit back handed. Somehow Brown can make doing the right thing seem wrong. Oh dear.
- Matt Jessop, Stirling, UK
Enought rubbish and talking colours on this, when are the Fraud Squad being sent for!!!!!!
- Tom, LONDON
Well there you have it; Incapability Brown has laid his cards on the table. Clearly Incapability Brown is not committed to political reform. I am pleased the Telegraph exposed this fraud as if they had not then it would have been hidden away from us forever in this conspiracy that has been orchestrated by the Speaker's Office together with the incumbent (INCOME BENT?) government.
- David Robinson, banbury, UK
This is the point that no one gets, that nulabour is going to hang in there what ever the cost.
Its past playing for time for Labour, they've totally missed the boat. With Westminster breaking up Thursday night, the local & EU Elections will put the lid on it for them.
That oil tanker is now close to those craggy rocks and will explode.
That Speaker and Prime Minister need to be turned in to puppets whilst this sorry Westminster state is sorted out to lead eventually (when resolved) to the General Election.
Their holiday breaks need to be abandoned for a start since these issues are far to serious to go unresolved.
- Tony Islander, Herts
Gormless Brown and Gorbals Mick are both tarred with the same brush.
Brown still does not get it. Martin still does not get it.
Whatever was left of democracy in the UK has now been well-and-truly crushed by control freak Brown and a useless Speaker in the House of Conmen.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK
I am not going to be suckered by MPs who have been mis-using taxpayers money into caring about this Speaker nonsense. MPs can only rightfully call him to resign when all those in their number have resigned for misuse of taxpayers money through expenses claims. You could see in the uncomfortable faces of all the silent MPs yesterday that they know how disgustingly hypocritical they are being by pointing a figure only at the ref when none of the players have been sent off yet to oblivion.
- Jim, london
Why does Brown always back the lame horse - eventually he always has to back track - which makes him look even worse....allow a vote on the Speaker!
- Andy, london
Dear Mr Martin's
Your position as speaker is totally untenable. Neither the public nor members of the house have any faith in you any longer, thus making it impossible for you to do the task WE the public pay you to do. Please if you have one once of decorum left. Leave your job as speaker and allow another to begin the process of rebuilding the empire you have crushed. The public are not as stupid as you would like to believe, you are not working for the good of the Britain only yourselves and fellow activists.
Regards
Gary
- Gary, Brentwood
A sleazy cover up if ever I saw one.
Brown should call an election now, and when he loses, the new government should prosecute him and his fellow parasitic free loaders to the fullest extent of the law on charges like:
Fraud, criminal incompetence with regards to the UK economy, lying to parliament on many occasions and last but not least, the illegal war in Iraq.
- George, Hempstead - Kent
How dare he suggest "containing the crisis". We want the scandal rigorously investigated and every last one of the slimy, corrupt MPs made to face the courts. It has been suggested in one of the papers that those in the fees office have been allowing MPs to claim an allowance despite the fact that their mortgages have been repaid. There needs to be a full independent enquiry into these allegations. I demand that justice is done - AND SEEN TO BE DONE.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
Another day, another grovelling apology from the Speaker. Can he not get the message; it is too late and he must go. We know he has no shame but has he no pride, does he not realise his career is finished and can he not for once in his life act with some dignity and grace and do what is necessary. Go!
- Patricia, LONDON
£18000 FOR FOOD NOT UNREASONABLE. TELL THAT TO THE UNEMPLOYED OR THOSE ON SICKNESS BENEFIT. £1 WOULD BE UNREASONABLE AS WHEREVER YOU LIVE YOU HAVE TO EAT AND SHOULD PAY FOR IT YOURSELF.
- Alan Green, Woodford Green
It is really easy to restore public trust in MP's expenses. Treat them exactly the same as those employed in the private sector. No benefits, just the same tax regime as us. They have better job security than us, so why should they be treated any differently than an employee on a fixed term contract?
While they are at it, get rid of the peculiar tax breaks that they enjoy, such as they non taxation of severence pay should they be voted out (Slipped in by Gordon when he was at No. 11). Either that or give that type of tax break to all of the working public, not just a specific few.
- Alan, carlisle uk
We do not want the crisis contained...We want all the detail to be exposed and criminal proceedings heaped on all the robbers of our money.Nothing more,nothing less.
- John, benidorm,spain
