The Speaker’s statement today was an embarrassing affair: he read an apology to the public over MPs’ expenses, saying words that seemed not to come from his heart. He then said he’d act by summoning yet another meeting, weeks if not months too late, before proceeding to ignore entirely the issue of his own future. In responding to members’ points of order – no actual questions being permitted – he chose to hide behind procedures, saying Douglas Carswell MP’s motion of confidence in him could not be debated because technically it’s an “early day motion”.
I thought he should have resigned a year ago when he refused to allow debate on his own decision to appeal the Information Tribunal’s decision on – guess what – MPs’ expenses. Since then, he’s blamed the Serjeant-at-Arms for the search of Damian Green’s office in a cowardly statement in December, and he’s called the police in, not to investigate MPs but, incredibly, the leak to the Daily Telegraph. It was clear this morning that he is not the person to lead the Commons out of this awful expenses affair, and that he’s lost the confidence of many members. But now his shocking performance this afternoon has made his departure inevitable.
The statement was wholly inadequate. Martin is too small for this job, especially now, and surely must go. If he has any sense he’ll resign before he’s defenestrated.
And how will he be forced out? I’m not aware of any mechanism that can force him to leave other than his conscience.
I think politics is taking over from the mechanisms now, Marcin. Finally enough MPs are fed up enough that he’ll soon understand he will be defeated when this motion is debated, or else lose control of the House entirely if he tries to stop it being debated – I don’t think he can succeed in that anyway because I’m sure Gordon Brown must now realise he’ll lose more polling points if the government doesn’t allow time.
It’s like Mrs. T in 1990, this, I think. Today was Paris; I expect Martin’s resignation within 72 hours.
Completely agree about politics taking over from mechanisms of Parliamentary procedure. There are some days when the minute differences between EDMs, remaining orders and Parliamentary resolutions are relevant, but this wasn’t one of them. What’s upsetting is that Speaker Martin completely fails to understand this. His tin ear doesn’t reveal that outside the Commons, people couldn’t be less interested in such distinctions – so reactions after the News At Ten, which is sure to show much of the discussion, should be interesting.
Carl, to stick with the minutiae for a bit longer, are there any legal Parliamentary mechanisms to force some kind of resolution from within the Commons?
I don’t think law as such governs this at all, Seb. The only relevant law is the Bill of Rights which actually prevents the courts from questioning what goes on in the House, so there’s no legal mechanism, no.
What we’re dealing with here is the “law and custom of Parliament”, not real law at all; and lawyers like me are at a bit of a loss when it comes to dealing with that. In a sense Parliament is above the law when it comes to its own inner workings – it’s just up to “the House” I’m afraid.
I don’t suppose they can be blamed for not having precedents for this, since they’ve not had to topple a Speaker since 1695, I think. The last service Michael Martin could do the House and the public would be not to force it to create a defenestration procedure.
Ah of course the courts would leave Parliamentary laws and customs well alone! What I was getting at was whether there were any Parliamentary ‘laws and customs’ which might be of use at the present moment – although considering we’re in uncharted waters the lack of them is hardly surprising!
Its fascinating because considering the last two days have seen the convention that the Speaker is above reproach pretty much wholeheartedly repudiated by Clegg and Hague (as well as plenty of anonymous Ministers, apparently…), I wonder if there’s any chance that a new convention governing this ‘defenestration procedure’ might take shape. Obviously time will have to tell. It would certainly politicise the Speaker’s role – although the Speaker’s apolitical position is another convention I’ve been dubious about lately…
I don’t know, I’m afraid, Seb…. but yes, I agree this is fascinating. I think this could actually be a great opportunity for Parliament to restore its place in national life, and be more powerful and respected than it has been for decades – I’d like to see a new Speaker who’s ballsy enough to bring in a series of reforms such as independent selection of select committee chairs – not just reforms to expenses. I don’t think it matters what party this emergency Speaker comes from, but I do think the new Speaker could usefully express the view that from now on Speakers of the same party should not succeed each other. Part of what’s wrong with Martin is that his selection in the first place was partisan, and the support for him has been, too.
If MPs choose the right person – I don’t know who that’d be – we could see a Parliamentary renaissance. If the next Speaker is a strong and independent one, then I think the politicisation will drop away very soon – and we won’t have to worry about how to unseat another one.
I rather expect that Mr Martin will continue to hang on for as long as possible. He hasn’t shown any shame or any evidence that he doesn’t consider himself free to rule arbitrarily within his sphere.
He is after all the First Commoner. His performance over the Damien Green affair was awful (Just blamed the Serjeant at Arms) as was his waste of money over trying to keep MPs expenses from disclosure in the first place.
He clearly has no shame and I suspect, that unlike Mrs T, will not go easily or quietly.
i don’t know that we know or understand much about what he has done. he clearly comes across badly and is far from eloquent or charismatic as previous speakers have been. but i suspect there is more than a whiff of the class prejudice that some have sensed against him. and in the end it is nothing to do with with me – he is the creature of the house and its members. i don’t think his role is to keep it accountable to us. it isn’t to be even-handed between mps and the world, it is to speak for those mps to the world (doesn’t look very good at that!).the mps have lost faith in him and that’s why he has just resigned.
i note that charon is now asking, as i did, what the precise use of this explosion of public vitriol is achieving…
and today is the day on which the long parliament pronounced us a commonwealth. (yes i read it at charon). anyone voting to make that our national day?
ah thought not.
and middle temple is about to have its latest royal bencher – what a pathetic piece of anachronistic toadying. still it’s what we have always done… i refer you all to monty python and the holy grail.
The Commons is now looking for a replacement for Mr Martin. When they find one, would it not be appropriate for him or her tp hold office only until the end of the Parliament. If re-elected to Parliament then he or she could stand again to be Speaker? I dislike these cosy “job for life” arrangements.