10 reasons why Speaker Martin must go
It's not because he's Labour. If Mr Martin were a Tory MP, I'd be much less restrained in my criticism.
Here are 10 reasons why Mr Martin has to go:
1. He appears to have given the green-light to a police raid on the office of an opposition MP - because the executive was embarrassed that the MP was doing his job.
2. If Mr Martin seriously claims he didn't know, or did nothing, even worse.
3. In the manner of compliance officials, for days his office has hidden behind the pathetic formula that he was following correct "process".
4. Journalists tell me that there are now those briefing - by leak and spin, presumably? - that "It's nothing to do with me, Gov. It was that Jill Pay in the Sergeant-at-Arms, that's to blame". If it’s true that this is what’s being briefed, it's inexcusable.
5. Mr Martin rarely intervenes to ensure that the Commons is able to hold government to account. Under his stewardship, MPs with legitimate Parliamentary Questions have been prevented from tabling them by officials in the Table Office - and appeals to him have been ignored.
6. He often intervenes to tell backbench MPs that their question to the Minister is somehow out of bounds. When did you ever hear him intervene on a Minister to get them provide an answer?
7. His handling of the MPs expenses fiasco shows Mr Martin simply doesn't grasp the need for transparency in public office.
8. He was never elected in a free and fair ballot of all MPs. He got the job years before the last election - in a rigged process that could be controlled by government whips.
9. Even against Labour MPs, he’s biased in favour of the executive. Remember his decision not to call one of their amendments on the Lisbon Treaty debate?
10. There are many other MPs – Labour, Liberal and Tory – who’d do a better job.
Changes to House of Commons Standing Order 1a and 1b mean that the next Speaker is now to be chosen by secret ballot in a free and fair contest - for the first time. Bring the new arrangements forward.
The reputation of the House of Commons has never been lower. Public confidence in it can only begin to be restored once we have a new, reformist Speaker.
Posted on 1 December 2008 by Douglas Carswell