The Speaker relents
Peter Hoskin 12:48pm
When the High Court turned down the Michael Martin-led attempt to block the disclosure of MPs expenses, the worry was that the Speaker would launch an appeal. Well - by way of an update - Martin & Co. last night decided not to fight the original ruling. The Speaker's comported himself so badly throughout all of this, that this latest move's a welcome surprise. And now we can expect to see full expense details for 14 MPs - including Cameron and Brown - on Friday, with details for all MPs following in October. I wonder whether any are dreading the day.
Previous
Comments
Water
May 20th, 2008 1:44pmVery interesting. Any guesses on what Brown has been spending his money on?
Perry
May 20th, 2008 2:06pmNail files and sandpaper?
Chuck Unsworth
May 20th, 2008 2:06pmIt's not a question of Speaker Martin 'relenting'. He's already been the subject of public opprobrium for blowing our cash on his vain attempts - and despite sound advice which he pig-headedly chose to ignore. He's been told - yet again - that he's on a loser if he wants to take it further, and the public uproar at the continuing wilful squandering of taxpayers' cash on his hubris would be deafening. So he's backed down - for the moment...
Philip Wright
May 20th, 2008 2:45pmYes, good to see he has taken the only honourable course, although whether or not his intentions were honourable at all is very debatable.
However, now he still seems intent on wasting taxpayers' money by his challenge to Stuart Wheeler's seeking of a Judicial Review into the shameful reneging by NuLab on their manifesto pledge to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty / Constitution. A charge of bringing his office and Parliament into disrepute should be available to be initiated from the floor of the house at times like this.
Elizabeth Elliot-Pyle
May 20th, 2008 3:03pmI agree with you, Chuck Unsworth, but would also add that Speaker Martin has decided to stop the court challenge about the Lison Treaty, so probably has more important things on his mind.
Ian C
May 20th, 2008 3:09pmWater/Perry - turbo-charged mechanical hole digging equipment!
salieri
May 20th, 2008 3:12pmHow hard it must be for the poor chap to read and understand these Court Judgments. All those fancy long words, relative clauses, and no pictures. Still, he has at least got others to do it for him - at our expense.
Water
May 20th, 2008 4:11pmsalieri don't forget the lack of pop ups.
John
May 20th, 2008 5:28pmOr animations!
A disgraceful excuse for a speaker, quite fitting really for this disgraceful excuse for a government. Bringing the office into disrepute is putting it mildly. Where do they FIND these people?
salieri
May 20th, 2008 6:23pmJohn, I could tell you where they find them but it would be blocked - or else the subject of a visit from the Thought Police.
John
May 20th, 2008 7:11pmYes, salieri. As Littejohn puts it: the knock on the door is nigh for all of us. You wouldn't have credited it a few years ago.