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MPs to debate police Commons raid MPs debating police Commons raid
(about 6 hours later)
MPs are to debate the police raid on Tory MP Damian Green's House of Commons office, amid concern about the role played by the Speaker. MPs have begun debating the police raid on Tory MP Damian Green's House of Commons office, amid concern about the role played by the Speaker.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said confidence in Commons Speaker Michael Martin had taken a "massive battering". The debate began with a row over how long it should take. The government has allowed three hours but the Tories and Lib Dems say it should be six.
Conservative leader David Cameron said action was needed to restore confidence in the Speaker's office. They want changes to ministers' plans for a Commons inquiry into the affair.
A BBC poll of 90 MPs found that 32 said they no longer had confidence in Mr Martin after the Mr Green affair. Former Tory minister Douglas Hogg began by accusing ministers of "concealment, duplicity, whitewash and cover-up".
And 50 MPs said Mr Martin had been at fault over the Tory MP's arrest and the search of his Commons office. For the Lib Dems, Simon Hughes said it was a "sorry state of affairs" if MPs were not given enough time to debate whether police should enter Parliament.
But I do think MPs will be making a big mistake if they somehow suggest to people that just by sticking a knife in the Speaker's back everything is sorted Nick CleggLib Dem leader "This is the government trying to clamp down on the House of Commons having its say," he said.
When BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend programme asked backbench MPs if they still had confidence in Mr Martin as Speaker, 56 of the 90 who replied, said they did. But Labour backbencher Frank Field said the debate was descending into a "pantomime" and MPs would be judged, not on the debate, but how they voted.
There have been calls from three MPs, including one Labour backbencher, for Mr Martin to stand down.
The row erupted after Mr Green, the Tory immigration spokesman, was arrested 10 days ago and held for nine hours by the Metropolitan Police, while his homes and parliamentary office were searched, as part of an inquiry into allegations of leaks from the Home Office.The row erupted after Mr Green, the Tory immigration spokesman, was arrested 10 days ago and held for nine hours by the Metropolitan Police, while his homes and parliamentary office were searched, as part of an inquiry into allegations of leaks from the Home Office.
But I do think MPs will be making a big mistake if they somehow suggest to people that just by sticking a knife in the Speaker's back everything is sorted Nick CleggLib Dem leader
Mr Martin revealed to MPs last Wednesday that he had been told in advance the search of Mr Green's office was to take place, but said he had not been told by Serjeant at Arms Jill Pay, who authorised the search, that the police had not had a search warrant.Mr Martin revealed to MPs last Wednesday that he had been told in advance the search of Mr Green's office was to take place, but said he had not been told by Serjeant at Arms Jill Pay, who authorised the search, that the police had not had a search warrant.
'Big mistake' The debate is to discuss plans for the proposed Speaker's committee to look into the issues raised by - and the rules covering - the police search of Mr Green's Commons offices.
The debate, due to begin mid-afternoon, is to discuss plans for the proposed Speaker's committee to look into the issues raised by - and the rules covering - the police search of Mr Green's Commons offices.
Mr Martin told MPs last week the committee would report quickly, but opposition MPs are unhappy at plans for it to have a Labour majority - and the suggestion that it would not start work until after the police inquiry is completed.Mr Martin told MPs last week the committee would report quickly, but opposition MPs are unhappy at plans for it to have a Labour majority - and the suggestion that it would not start work until after the police inquiry is completed.
The debate is scheduled to last for three hours although some MPs will seek to force a vote on extending the debate to six hours. 'Big mistake'
The debate is scheduled to last for three hours although some MPs are trying to force a vote on extending the debate to six hours.
Conservative leader David Cameron has said that if his party fail to get changes to the inquiry proposals they will vote against the plans.
The Liberal Democrats have said they will boycott the Speaker's committee, as currently set up, but leader Nick Clegg has stopped short of calling for Mr Martin to quit.The Liberal Democrats have said they will boycott the Speaker's committee, as currently set up, but leader Nick Clegg has stopped short of calling for Mr Martin to quit.
Mr Clegg told BBC 5 Live: "People's confidence in him has taken a massive battering and with very good reason because he is responsible for the people who took the decision to allow the police - without a warrant - to search Damian Green's office, and clearly he has got a lot of work to do to re-establish the trust and confidence without which he really can't do his job. Leader Nick Clegg told BBC 5 Live: "People's confidence in him has taken a massive battering and with very good reason because he is responsible for the people who took the decision to allow the police - without a warrant - to search Damian Green's office, and clearly he has got a lot of work to do to re-establish the trust and confidence without which he really can't do his job.
"But I do think MPs will be making a big mistake if they somehow suggest to people that just by sticking a knife in the Speaker's back everything is sorted.""But I do think MPs will be making a big mistake if they somehow suggest to people that just by sticking a knife in the Speaker's back everything is sorted."