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Brown defends 'very good' Speaker Speaker defiant despite critics
(about 1 hour later)
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has backed Commons Speaker Michael Martin, saying he had done a "very, very good" job. Commons Speaker Michael Martin has dismissed claims that his review of MPs' expenses is taking too long and causing damage to Parliament's image.
Mr Martin, under pressure over use of taxi expenses and air miles, was also cheered by MPs at the start of business in the House of Commons on Monday. In the chamber, Labour MP David Winnick asked Mr Martin to show "greater urgency" in conducting his inquiries.
Labour MP John Spellar paid tribute to him and warned against an attempted "coup" by political journalists. But the Speaker, who has faced pressure to resign over his own expenses, said he would continue as planned "until this House decides otherwise".
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg earlier also defended Mr Martin, saying he had faced "a bit of a witch-hunt". Mr Martin had earlier been cheered by MPs at the start of Commons business.
A number of MPs are said to want the Speaker to step down as Parliament's standards watchdog investigates a complaint against him. They replied "hear, hear" after Mr Martin, criticised over his use of taxi expenses and air miles, issued his traditional "order, order" call to start the day.
Home expenses Conway affair'
The Speaker, as chairman of the Commons Members Estimates Committee, is heading a "root-and-branch" parliamentary inquiry into all aspects of MPs' expenses.
This follows revelations that Tory MP Derek Conway had made payments worth £40,000 to his son for work as a parliamentary researcher while he was a student at Newcastle University.
Raising a point of order in the Commons, Mr Winnick, MP for Walsall North, asked the Speaker: "Would it be possible for the review to have greater urgency and not wait until the autumn [for the findings]?"
SPEAKER'S DUTIES Keep order during debatesEnsure House rules obeyedAct impartiallyRepresents CommonsChooses MPs to speakCan suspend sittingsProtects interests of minorities
He added that recent expenses stories such as those involving Mr Conway had done "damage to the reputation of the House".
Mr Martin replied that he would remain in charge of a review of MPs' allowances "until this House decides otherwise".
He insisted: "And that is a good thing for the reputation of this House."
Mr Martin was also cheered by MPs at the start of business and Labour's John Spellar paid tribute to him and criticised what he called an attempted "coup" from political reporters.
Asked earlier about the Speaker's predicament, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "It's a matter for the House of Commons. Mr Martin has been a very, very good Speaker."
But a number of MPs are said to want the Speaker to step down as Parliament's standards watchdog investigates a complaint against him.
Mr Martin, MP for Glasgow North East, has been accused of flying members of his family in business class from Glasgow to London for a New Year break, using air miles gained from official trips.Mr Martin, MP for Glasgow North East, has been accused of flying members of his family in business class from Glasgow to London for a New Year break, using air miles gained from official trips.
Spokesman resigns
The Sunday Times also reported that he had claimed £17,000 a year for his home in Scotland and £7,500 in costs for using that home as an office.The Sunday Times also reported that he had claimed £17,000 a year for his home in Scotland and £7,500 in costs for using that home as an office.
SPEAKER'S DUTIES Keep order during debatesEnsure House rules obeyedAct impartiallyRepresents CommonsChooses MPs to speakCan suspend sittingsProtects interests of minorities These figures had been publicly declared already and there is no suggestion Mr Martin used his allowance incorrectly.
These figures had been publicly declared already and there is no suggestion Mr Martin had not used his allowance correctly. The resignation of Mr Martin's spokesman, Mike Granatt, came after he wrongly rebutted a story that the Speaker's wife had claimed more than £4,000 in taxi expenses since May 2004.
The resignation of Mr Martin's spokesman, Mike Granatt, came after he rebutted a story that the Speaker's wife had claimed more than £4,000 in taxpayer-funded taxi expenses since May 2004. Mr Granatt said Mr Martin had not been at fault over the misinformation, and instead blamed officials for not telling him the entire truth.
Mr Granatt was adamant that Mr Martin was not at fault over the misinformation. Instead he blamed officials, claiming they had not told him the entire truth.
When asked about Mr Martin's predicament, Mr Brown said: "It's a matter for the House of Commons. Mr Martin has been a very, very good Speaker."When asked about Mr Martin's predicament, Mr Brown said: "It's a matter for the House of Commons. Mr Martin has been a very, very good Speaker."
The Speaker, as chairman of the Commons Members Estimates Committee, is heading a "root-and-branch" parliamentary inquiry into all aspects of MPs' expenses. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg told the BBC there seemed to be "a witch-hunt against Speaker Martin", adding that the Speaker was "fully committed" to overhauling Parliament's system of expenses.
'Fully committed' Health Secretary Alan Johnson said he thought the furore would "blow over".
Mr Clegg told the BBC: "I'm not going to give a running commentary on what looks like a witch-hunt against Speaker Martin."
He added that he thought Mr Martin was "fully committed" to overhaul Parliament's system of expenses which was, at present, "bringing the whole of politics into disrepute".
Among Mr Martin's Labour backers, former foreign secretary Margaret Beckett said: "What I don't understand is why there have been a whole string of nasty little stories about Mr Martin. Somebody is out to get him."
MPs can talk about anything they like, inside or outside the House, except their views about the Speaker Martin BellEx-independent MP
Business Secretary John Hutton said: "He is a decent man and a good Speaker of the House of Commons and I am sure that is a position he will want to defend over the next few weeks."
Health Secretary Alan Johnson told GMTV: "Yes, I do support the Speaker and I do think this will blow over and the people who are, in some quarters of the press, who are obsessed about Michael Martin will move on and pick on someone else."
But former independent MP and anti-sleaze campaigner Martin Bell said Mr Martin was being protected from MPs' public criticism by the convention they do not openly criticise a Speaker.But former independent MP and anti-sleaze campaigner Martin Bell said Mr Martin was being protected from MPs' public criticism by the convention they do not openly criticise a Speaker.
'Widespread disquiet' Conservative MP Peter Bottomley told BBC Radio 4's The World At One: "I think it would be totally inappropriate for him to be hounded out. Whether both health and happiness would mean that he ought to go on for a third term is frankly up to him.
"MPs can talk about anything they like, inside or outside the House, except their views about the Speaker," he said.
"We know there is widespread disquiet on both sides of the House and no-one dare speak up."
Conservative MP Peter Bottomley told BBC Radio 4's The World At One: "When I first heard Why has the Speaker suddenly got so many Westminster friends? BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full
that there was some suggestion that he might be re-elected to be Speaker for a third term, I thought to myself 'That's ambitious'.
"I think it would be totally inappropriate for him to be hounded out. Whether both health and happiness would mean that he ought to go on for a third term is frankly up to him.
"But I do remember the words of his wife - and this is not in any way a nudge to him - who said that if she heard he was going to stop, she would regard that as the biggest present she could have.""But I do remember the words of his wife - and this is not in any way a nudge to him - who said that if she heard he was going to stop, she would regard that as the biggest present she could have."