MPs' expenses and Commons Speaker Michael Martin's statement: analysis

MPs' expenses and Commons Speaker Michael Martin's statement: analysis

MPs who want Commons Speaker Michael Martin out will have to wait a bit longer - despite the ongoing sandal of MPs' expenses.

By Andrew Porter, Political Editor

How much longer they will have to wait is now the most pressing question at the Commons. It cannot be very long.

A motion of no confidence in the Speaker has now been tabled. This is very likely to seal his fate.

The Tories and the Liberal Democrats will demand that the debate is held – possibly this week. If the Government refuses to allow it then they will be seen to have propped up the Speaker.

A weak Gordon Brown cannot allow that to happen. Crucially, Number 10 shows no sign of shoring him up and what that means is Mr Martin is now on borrowed time.

There will be little support for Mr Martin in any vote of confidence. But even if he won a vote he would not command enough support among MPs to stay in office.

In the current climate no MP would feel comfortable telling their constituents that they have shored up a discredited Speaker.

For the public, Mr Martin is now one of the unacceptable faces of the whole MPs' expenses scandal.

One Labour MP called his performance “abysmal”. That is a correct assessment.

Very soon Mr Martin must also accept that and do the right thing.