The Speaker passes the buck

So it was all Jill Pay’s fault. That was Michael Martin’s verdict. He didn’t know. The Serjeant At Arms should have asked for a warrant and she didn’t. Nor did he shrink from dumping on her. He’ll grant a debate on Monday and set up a committee of grandees (just as he did with the expenses furore).  Here are the key points from the Speaker’s statement.

–“Parliamentary privilege has never prevented the operation of criminal law” – except when they’re dodging expenses fraud, or voting to exempt themselves from their own FOI laws.

— “On Wednesday last, the Met informed the Serjeant at Arms that an arrest was contemplated. I was told in the strictest confidence by her that a member might be arrested and charged, but not further details were given to me.” So this would have been a good time to go on full alert? Dust down the Commons rule book? It seems not.