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Farewell to men in tights and the cosy gentlemen’s club
Joe Murphy19 May 2009
The “gentlemen's club” style of running Parliament is set to end.
Plans are being debated this afternoon to abolish Commons officials who nodded through MPs' dodgy expenses and replace them with an independent body.
In addition, the power of the Speaker and senior officials, dubbed “men in tights”, is likely to be reduced. Instead, executives will take over some management, reducing the Speaker and his officials to a ceremonial role.
Gordon Brown was setting out some of the ideas this morning ahead of talks chaired by Speaker Michael Martin with main party leaders at 4pm. He told Labour MPs “self-regulation” must end.
Sir Stuart Bell, an ally of the Speaker, wants a statutory body to handle expenses and the disciplining of MPs, breaking up the “cosy club” of the Commons. The club ethos is at the heart of the expenses scandal. It has been exposed how officials repeatedly tore up rules to allow MPs to make claims for home improvements and mortgages that had already been paid off.
Mr Martin's rise to power was also due to the club-style. He gained influence by sitting on committees running catering and overseeing office space.
