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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Brown defends 'very good' Speaker | Brown defends 'very good' Speaker |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Gordon Brown has defended Commons Speaker Michael Martin, describing him as having been "very, very good". | Gordon Brown has defended Commons Speaker Michael Martin, describing him as having been "very, very good". |
| Several senior Labour figures have joined the prime minister in rallying behind Mr Martin, saying there has been a campaign to oust him. | Several senior Labour figures have joined the prime minister in rallying behind Mr Martin, saying there has been a campaign to oust him. |
| The Speaker has come under pressure over the resignation of his spokesman and his family's use of air miles. | The Speaker has come under pressure over the resignation of his spokesman and his family's use of air miles. |
| Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg also defended Mr Martin, saying there had been "a bit of a witch-hunt" against him. | Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg also defended Mr Martin, saying there had been "a bit of a witch-hunt" against him. |
| A number of MPs are said to want the Speaker to step down as Parliament's standards watchdog investigates a complaint against him. | A number of MPs are said to want the Speaker to step down as Parliament's standards watchdog investigates a complaint against him. |
| Home expenses | Home expenses |
| 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. |
| 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 | 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 had not used his allowance correctly. | 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 rebutted a story that the Speaker's wife had claimed more than £4,000 in taxpayer-funded 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 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. | 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. | The Speaker, as chairman of the Commons Members Estimates Committee, is heading a "root-and-branch" parliamentary inquiry into all aspects of MPs' expenses. |
| 'Fully committed' | |
| Mr Clegg told the BBC: "I'm not going to give a running commentary on what looks like a witch-hunt against Speaker Martin." | 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". | 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." | 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 | 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." | 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' | |
| "MPs can talk about anything they like, inside or outside the House, except their views about the Speaker," he said. | "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." | "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 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." |