Gorbels Mick to quit as speaker 21st June

[Brian Potter]

Just announced it in the commons

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Will that force a By-election ?

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Don't understand this. It's not his fault that MP's have been ripping everyone off. Got scapegoat written all over it

 

[siclean]

order please, order order, or or..order

 

[Brian Potter]

No, he stays on as an MP. There will be a ballot for the post of speaker,who will be elected on the 22nd.

 

[Brian Potter]

Don't understand this. It's not his fault that MP's have been ripping everyone off. Got scapegoat written all over it

I suppose it is because the way the commons is organised, he has ulitmate responsibility for expenses. But as you say, nobody forced all those MP's to claim that money did they? Also, his standing in the outside world, as the man who spent a shedload of taxpayers money trying to prevent the FOI act applying to MP's expenses did him no favours.

 

[Scoffers]

Isn't his post as speaker tied to his MP status, I think you'll find there will be a by-election

 

[Scoffers]

Don't understand this. It's not his fault that MP's have been ripping everyone off. Got scapegoat written all over it

My understanding was that he was overly harsh towards those MPs who questioned MPs expenses in the House, plus allowing the police in to arrest that MP a while back didn't do him any favours, by all accounts.

 

[Brian Potter]

Isn't his post as speaker tied to his MP status, I think you'll find there will be a by-election

No, he was an MP first and foremost. It is just that normally a speaker resigns at the time of an election, also standing down as an MP (like Betty Boothroyd the previous speaker did). Its been a few hundred years since a speaker was effectively forced from the post.

 

[Scoffers]

From the BBC - BBC NEWS | Politics | Speaker announces he is to quit

Speaker announces he is to quit


Michael Martin has told MPs he intends to stand down as Commons Speaker, amid criticism of his role in the MPs' expenses row. He told MPs he would relinquish the office of Speaker on 21 June - to maintain "unity" in the House. In a short statement to a packed House of Commons he said a new Speaker would be elected the following day.

A motion of no confidence in him has been backed by 23 MPs. Mr Martin is also expected to step down as an MP.

 

[Scoffers]

No, he was an MP first and foremost. It is just that normally a speaker resigns at the time of an election, also standing down as an MP (like Betty Boothroyd the previous speaker did). Its been a few hundred years since a speaker was effectively forced from the post.

Right, but as a speaker I thought his seat is uncontested at election time. As you say, it's been a while since one has been forced out, but it is not unreasonable to expect that they resign as an MP under these circumstances, given that they have not had to properly stand for re-election as an MP.

 

[Don Quixote]

He'll be made a lord and shipped off to the house of Lords no doubt.

 

[Stoo82]

I think there is a election for his seat. But it is uncontested. Which seems abit pointless if you ask me. Even though his seat is very very very VERY Labour.

 

[Brian Potter]

Right, but as a speaker I thought his seat is uncontested at election time. As you say, it's been a while since one has been forced out, but it is not unreasonable to expect that they resign as an MP under these circumstances, given that they have not had to properly stand for re-election as an MP.

No, his seat is contested in the normal way,it's just that he is in a stone-walled safe seat.

I don't think he will get a peerage this time either. They normally give them one when they finish as a sort of "well done". How they can give a peerage to somebody who has been pretty much shamed into resigning is beyond me.Mind you that hasn't stopped Mandleson getting one has it!!!!

 

[Peteinblack]

Martin, you :

 

[Danny-Boy]

There seems to be a consensus that the veteran Labour MP Frank Field will get the job. His reputation has been generally untarnished by any allegations.
Labour would probably be happy with this, but I don't think the Tories would be necessarily. Field or whoever would normally stand as the Speaker at the next election and be elected unopposed.
I doubt whether Martin will stand down as an MP though, Gordy won't want a by-election right now. The Euro's will be bad enough for him to get through.
Someone I know got 100-1 recently against Gordy losing his seat at the next election, that's looking briliant odds now!

 

[fatbadger]

The ignorance of those calling Michael Martin 'Gorbals Mick' is astonishing (he's not from the Gorbals). It is also, in a Glasgow context, sectarian (you have to appreciate what 'Mick' means to a weegie). I have no doubt those who coined it knew that.

There will be a by-election. The Speaker's seat is contested, but is by convention uncontested by the main Westminster parties. At the last general election, the SNP, SSP, Socialist Labour, SUP, BNP and an independent stood against him. SNP were a solid 2nd, if miles behind. The leftwing parties got 5,500 between them and the rightwing parties got about 2200 (most of which, being SUP votes, will go Tory at the by-election).

 

[fatbadger]

There seems to be a consensus that the veteran Labour MP Frank Field will get the job.

Many tories were furious when the unofficial alternating-party expectation wasn't adhered to last time - I can't really see them going for a third Labour MP in a row in the role.

John Bercow has clearly been angling for it for the last couple of years, but surely (a) enough tories hate him and (b) enough Labour and LibDem members don't trust him, to guarantee his failure.

I'm expecting it to go to a very senior backbencher (possibly a former minister) who might only be expected to hold onto it until the next parliament. George Young, perhaps?

 

[keaton]

I suppose it is because the way the commons is organised, he has ulitmate responsibility for expenses. But as you say, nobody forced all those MP's to claim that money did they? Also, his standing in the outside world, as the man who spent a shedload of taxpayers money trying to prevent the FOI act applying to MP's expenses did him no favours.

It's not strictly to do with the expenses, but how he dealt with the issue in the House, by concentrating on the police investigation of whoever leaked the information and then being unprofessional and abuseive to MPs in the house

 

[Gazwag]

fire the lot of them, thieving childish twats, bring in marshal law, how anybody can vote in the next election will amaze me