Speaker Resigns - Taxi for Martin!

Downing Street has brought itself some time with the Speakers head and Martin gets to leave with the knowledge he's the first Speaker in 314 years to be forced out. Who takes his place however, will give the public a good insight into how parliament intends to proceed.

Martin will also stand down as a MP, leaving the by-election in Glasgow North East a very interesting fight. It's considered a Labour safe seat yet, SNP no doubt will be putting up a fight for it. Nothing will say thanks for devolution quite like the SNP wining that seat.

The saddest aspect to this resignation is that he managed to bring the office of Speaker itself into disrepute. He takes with him the notion that the Speaker is impartial and a leader in the house of commons. Whoever does take over will have to be not only a Betty Boothroyd in confidence and leadership, but almost a saint. In what most will consider a den of thieves, it's going to be a hard sell.

Speaker Martin Statement = Absurd

Peter Brookes Cartoon

So this saga continues onwards with no end in sight. Watching the Speaker give his statement you would be forgiven for thinking that he was a confused pensioner, wondering what he was doing in the room in the first place.

He dismissed the no confidence motion put down by Douglas Carswell saying a was an early day motion. Heckling and shouting assured with MPs saying he was wrong. The short story is, for this debate to happen the government need to back it. Let's not hold our breathe then.

This situation has gone now beyond absurd, in so many ways. The Speaker however is one part of a bigger problem. Getting rid of him will be a symbol of intent and right thing to do, given he is in charge of the Fees Office. Yet it will not address the problems at large, this government have been in power too long, they've become arrogant, using parliament as a factory just to pass laws, not debate them, as if it it exists for them not us. That balance needs to be addressed not temporary but permanently.

My worry over calling an election is that the Tories will gain such a ruling majority, it may take 3 terms it reduce it. Thus we could end up in the same position again. That leaves me asking: is our Parliamentary system passed it's sell by date? Clearly some serious changes are needed, accountably to the public I think is at the heart of those changes.

Michael Martin Showdown

Morten Morland cartoon

Speaker Martin Motion of No Confidence

The MP Douglas Carswell has gained support from both sides of the house and will table a motion of no confidence in the speaker. There are three main obstacles with this firstly, only a small amount of tabled motions are actually debated by MPs. Secondly as the Daily Mail reports, if Martin resigns before the next election he stands to lose a £100,000 'golden handshake'. It would take a huge amount of outrage for the man who allegedly said: "I did not come into politics not to take what is owed to me", to leave. Thirdly the politics of who will become speaker, Tories who stand to win the election, will not want a Labour minster.

Michael Martin will be the first speaker in 314 years to face this formal challenge to his authority. The last Speaker was Sir John Trevor, who was sacked for taking bribes in 1695. Entertainingly Interestingly as a little back history on Sir John:

...he was memorable for being severely cross-eyed—the affliction was so confusing to members of the House that they were frequently uncertain as to which of them had "caught the Speaker's eye"...

I wonder what Michael Martin will be remember for?

Speaker Martin - Hypocrite, Amoral and Greedy

When the audacity of these expenses couldn't get worst Michael Martin comes along, to prove why MPs thought it was fine. The man meant to be in "charge" of the commons gave a statement on expenses. He said that MPs should consider 'the spirit of what is right' in their claims. He would know all about that, after all he's only claimed hundreds of thousands on his subsidised life style.

The speaker read his statement from a piece of paper in his emotionless weak voice, that was until Kate Hoey raised a point: doesn't the Metropolitan Police have better things to do than investigate leaks, isn't it an awful waste of money? Good point, why waste police time and more money when you can conduct your own inquiry? Not a legitimate point though for Martin, he became vocal for once about something he does care about, those who criticise him and someone releasing the expense claims before black markers were used on them.

He really does represent what's wrong with the whole system, MPs who are hypocritical, amoral and greedy.