Speaking of controversy

Michael Martin’s spokesman has resigned for unwittingly misleading a journalist over the recent story about the Speaker’s wife’s £4,000 taxi expenses. The spokesman had said that she had been accompanied by a Commons administrative official when she was actually with her housekeeper. No one in the Speaker’s office who knew the truth had prevented him from making the error.

There is more to come on this story in the Sunday papers and even though the departing spokesman has absolved the Speaker of blame, this story is bound to increase the pressure on Martin to stand down. There is, though, no sign that he plans to go gracefully.