Speaker of the House of Commons forced out for the first time in 300 years

[jimmy olsen]

:nelson
Good, hopefuly Brown is next.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8057203.stm

Michael Martin has told MPs he intends to stand down, so becoming the first Commons Speaker to be effectively forced out of office for 300 years.

In a brief statement to a packed House of Commons he said he would step down on 21 June, with his successor set to be elected by MPs the next day.

Mr Martin, who will also step down as an MP, has faced criticism over his handling of the MP expenses issue.

The Glasgow North East MP has been an MP for 30 years and Speaker for nine.

At a news conference Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid tribute to his "30 years of public service" - a record of which, he said, Mr Martin and his family could be proud.

It was Mr Martin's third statement on the row in eight days - the first, in which he attacked MPs who questioned his handling of the furore, was criticised by many MPs - one accused him of protecting "vested interests".

Hear hears

On Monday he apologised for his role in events but gave no indication about when he would stand down - only to be challenged by a succession of MPs who asked for a debate on a motion of no confidence in him.

In a statement to MPs on Tuesday which lasted just 35 seconds, Mr Martin said: "I have always felt that the House is at its best when it is united.

"In order to that unity can be maintained, I have decided that I will relinquish office of Speaker on Sunday 21 June.

"This will allow the House to proceed to elect a new Speaker on Monday 22 June."

He finished by adding "that is all I have to say on this matter" before going on to ask for questions to Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

Mr Miliband said the House would respect his wishes and pay its tributes at "a later date".

But independent MP Bob Spink, who asked the first question, paid "the warmest possible tribute" to Mr Martin - to "hear hears" from MPs.

'Aggressive attitude'

Mr Martin's spokeswoman said he would stand down as MP for Glasgow North East on June 21, sparking a by-election in what has been considered a safe Labour seat.

Later in a written statement Commons leader Harriet Harman paid tribute to Mr Martin's "passionate commitment to the House" and said he had served "with distinction".

She said: "Michael Martin's resignation today as Speaker is an act of great generosity to the House of Commons that Members of Parliament from all parties will respect."

Labour MP Paul Flynn, who was among those who signed the no confidence motion, told the BBC it had been "painful" to see the Speaker forced out but it was inevitable.

But he added: "He had not recognised the seriousness of the situation and... made a disastrous situation even worse by his lack of penitence, by his aggressive attitude by his attempt to blame the whistleblowers."

Mr Martin's critics say he was the driving force behind repeated attempts by Commons authorities to block details of MPs' expenses from coming out under Freedom of Information legislation.

But his supporters say he has long been the victim of snobbery and has been made a scapegoat for a scandal that has affected all the main parties.

Meanwhile, in other events linked to the row over MPs' second homes expenses, the Metropolitan Police have said they will not investigate how details of claims came to be leaked to the Daily Telegraph.

A spokesman said it was likely the "public interest defence would be likely to prove a significant hurdle" to a criminal prosecution.

But he said officers from the Economic and Specialist Crime Command had met senior Crown Prosecution Service solicitors to discuss allegations some MPs had misused public money.

Moat cost

Gordon Brown has said no Labour MP who broke expenses rules would stand at the next election.

And former Conservative minister Douglas Hogg said he would stand down as an MP at the next general election.

He has already agreed to repay £2,200 - the cost of clearing a moat at his country estate - which had been on paperwork submitted to the Commons fees office in support of his claims.

Tory backbencher Douglas Carswell - who put forward the motion of no confidence in Mr Martin - said the Parliamentary system had fallen into disrepute with many MPs being seen as "parasites" over the expenses scandal.

But he told the BBC: "Removing Michael Martin is not the end, it is the beginning - a new Speaker has to be reformist, they need to be progressive."

Mr Martin, Speaker since 2000, is due to meet party leaders later to discuss interim reform proposals for MPs' expenses.

[Alcibiades]

http://languish.org/forums/index.php?topic=914.0

[Viking]

When a king tried this they chopped his head off, but newspaper editors seem to be above the law of parliamentary dignity.

[Valmy]

But he told the BBC: "Removing Michael Martin is not the end, it is the beginning - a new Speaker has to be reformist, they need to be progressive."

So much for the Spreaker being non-partisan.

[Valmy]

When a king tried this they chopped his head off, but newspaper editors seem to be above the law of parliamentary dignity.

There is never a bad reason for chopping off a King's head.

[Neil]

When a king tried this they chopped his head off, but newspaper editors seem to be above the law of parliamentary dignity.

There is never a bad reason for chopping off a King's head.

MB was right.  You're a tool of Satan.

At any rate, I don't think that this is very significant.  On the one hand, it paints Labour as inept and foolish.  However, being Speaker isn't very high profile, and the election is far enough out that nobody will remember Martin when the time comes.  Moreover, playing with the expenses is playing with fire, since no party had their hands clean.

[Viking]

When a king tried this they chopped his head off, but newspaper editors seem to be above the law of parliamentary dignity.

There is never a bad reason for chopping off a King's head.

Many bad reasons for not chopping off a King's head.

The king might be dead already, I don't approve of the mutilation of corpses, like they did to Cromwell. No reason is really sufficient.
The downside might be bigger than the upside. The King might bleed on your expensive carpet, you might be about to go out on a fourth date with his daughter etc..etc..
There might be more fitting punishments. You might have procured the services of an expert torturer.

[Valmy]

MB was right.  You're a tool of Satan.

But come on now, I cannot keep my 'Valmy' name and not cheer on chopping heads off Kings.

[Neil]

MB was right.  You're a tool of Satan.

But come on now, I cannot keep my 'Valmy' name and not cheer on chopping heads off Kings.

I can change your username to Jean Bodin.

[Ed Anger]

Change his name to Joesph Bonaparte.

[Valmy]

Change his name to Joesph Bonaparte.

Mercy!

[Viking]

Armin Miews?

[The Brain]

Change his name to Joesph Bonaparte.

Mercy!

Learn to spell.

[Ed Anger]

Change his name to Joesph Bonaparte.

Mercy!

Not until you apologize for CFL bulbs.

[Savonarola]

Change his name to Joesph Bonaparte.

Mercy!

Je vous en prie.