Bristol MP wants rid of Speaker
A Bristol MP is one of a group calling for the Speaker of the House of Commons to be removed.
Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams, who represents Bristol West, is one of 15 MPs from across the main parties who have tabled a motion of no confidence in Michael Martin in the wake of the MP expenses scandal.
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Bristol MP Stephen Williams wants rid of Speaker Michael Martin
In astonishing scenes in the chamber yesterday MPs told Mr Martin he was not up to the job and must quit.
Harriet Harman, the Leader of the House, will now decide if that motion is debated.
Speakers are traditionally in post until they retire or die, but Mr Martin's handling of allowance claims reforms has come under intense criticism and he now faces an attempt to remove him unprecedented in modern times.
Mr Williams, a former tax consultant, told the Post: "I have thought for quite some time Mr Martin should go. The House of Commons needs a massive reform of its procedures.
"We need a reformer and he is one of the old guard.
"I gave evidence about allowances to the members' estimates committee a couple of times. I thought as someone who came in in 2005, and as a tax and business consultant for 17 years, I might have something to offer.
"I felt I was talking to people who didn't live in the real world.
"The whole process needs reforming, the way we debate things is so antiquated, the way we refer to each other in overly reverential ways.
"I have come to the view I am part of a private members' club and that is not what I want.
"I didn't go to private school, I have never been part of a members' club, but there are a lot of people here, particularly on the Tory benches, who are part of that."
The motion of no confidence in Mr Martin was tabled yesterday by Conservative MP Douglas Carswell, and signed by 15 MPs from the three major parties.
If it succeeds, Mr Martin would become the first speaker to be forced out of office since Sir John Trevor was expelled from the House of Commons in 1695, for accepting a bribe.
Gordon Brown's spokesman said that, once the motion had been tabled, it would be "for business managers and the Leader of the House to consider" whether it should be debated.
The MPs who have signed the motion alongside Mr Carswell and Mr Williams include Labour's Kate Hoey and Liberal Democrat Norman Baker, who were the targets of criticism by Mr Martin in the Commons last week, as well as former shadow home secretary David Davis.
Mr Williams plans to put up some details about his expenses claims over the coming days insisting he has spent just £800 buying basics for his rented London flat since being elected.
Goods include a television, Tesco Value cutlery set, radio and pots and pans.
Kingswood's Labour MP Roger Berry has joined colleagues Dan Norris and Dawn Primarolo by putting a basic outline of his second home costs for the last financial year on his website. He claimed £14,717 – almost £10,000 below the maximum allowed – and said he would publish the detailed receipts as soon as possible.
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by Jon, Gloucester
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 7:22PM
“Thanks Rob and Snout Bristol for the link, according to The Work FOr YOu Dawn claimed more than the other 658 or so MP's for the Additional Allowance in 2007/2008 a staggering £23,083 and in 2006/07 she also claimed MORE than any other MP a breathtaking £22,110.
Appalling. Truly Appalling.”
by Rob, Cotham
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 6:00PM
“Stephen Williams claimed £20,721 as his additional costs allowance in 2007/08, (This is the 'living expenses' element of the MPs trough) and between his election in 2005 and March 2008 (the last date for which figures have been published) he claimed a total of £56,602 for additional costs allowance, presumably all but the £800 on pots and pans has gone on his mortgage or rent costs at the taxpayers expense (about £1,600 per month).
Compared to his £20,721 last year, his predecessor as Bristol West MP Valarie Davey claimed much less - £9,185 - in her final full year as an MP.
You can see all of these figures and more at www.theyworkforyou.com”
by Snout Bristol Dawn, bristol
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 3:50PM
“http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/dawn_primarolo/bristol_south#expenses
They Work For You confirm that in the each year between 2001 until 2005 Dawn was joint 1st out of 658 for her extravagant London Allowance claims just under £6000, Yes Red Dawn's snout was the deepest in the trough....
She was also joint first out of 658 fellow MP's for claiming something called the Incidental Allowances provision 2002 -03 for a whopping £18,234”
by Rebecca, bristol
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 2:10PM
“Any apology from Dawn Primarolo the Flipper yet?
Well done Roger Berry.”
by Terrence, Stoke Bishop
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 10:50AM
“Lets have an election,and vote out this lot of theives,and parasites,and elect exactly the same,under a different name.”
by James, Bristol
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 10:47AM
“It is all very well calling a General Election,but for whom do we vote,they are ALL at it.”
by Andycappell, Bristol
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 9:41AM
“No need to sACK HIM he is resigning this afternoon”
by John, Bristol
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 9:32AM
“If the reported 'facts' are believed, then the whole lot of them should stand down and a new government, or system, installed.
We have become a banana republic through years of trying to be a player on the international stage and toadying up to our 'so called' allies. Now we have the government to go with it.
They won't stand down of course but is it not time for a root and branch restructuring of how our 'elected' representatives are paid and whether they should be loyal to their electorate or their party.
On the issue of claims.
I pay for my own transport costs, as do a large proportion of the population. I pay my own Community Charge and if I worked in London, I would be expected to pay my own expenses. I also have to eat whilst at work or elsewhere without any recompense.
Why do MPs' require repaying, they already get a good salary and pension even if they only serve one term.
There is another side to this, two in fact.
Whilst we have all been outraged, angered - choose your adjective - over this expenses scandal, what else have we missed?
The second point raises the question of what other revelations are going to come to light about our politicians. They are, after all, only human.”
by Martin, Clifton
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 9:15AM
“Michael Martin has to go as speaker. He may not have claimed huge amounts himself (apart from the 1.7million to refurbish his house, and the foreign holidays), but he has attempted to cover up the current scandal, to the point of criticising MPs who wanted more openness. As Speaker, Mr Martin is in charge of the expenses system, and so ultimately responsible. His position is no longer tenable.”
by Lar, N Bristol
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 8:17AM
“If I fiddle my taxes/ expenses on my Tax Return I get a investigation, fined plus interest. Self employed people find it difficult to claim for the smallest of items to do with their business, let alone the endless list of luxurys that these fraudsters claim for.
Do they really take us the voters seriously? They dont give a monkeys ! Vote them out for good !”