Peter Hoskin

A life of luxury

£1.7 million of taxpayer’s money. That’s how much Michael Martin’s spent on his home and garden since 2001. Of that, some £700,000 went on merely prettifying the Speaker’s official residence. Well done, Mr. Speaker. You’ve now outdone Lord Irvine.

The worst thing is that the system allows all this. But that doesn’t excuse Martin. The point’s been made countless times that the Speaker should set an example. And the above sums are just beyond the pale. Every fresh revelation only strengthens the calls for him to go.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in