The news channels and the internet are buzzing with the news that the Speaker of the House of Commons is about to resign. This is a necessary precursor to widespread reform in the fees office and of MPs' expenses and allowances. But it is not in itself enough.
While watching footage from Parliament I see too many happy faces, this is a bad and sad day for Parliament and if MPs don't understand that they are in deeper trouble than they realise.
Outside of the Westminster village people will not care if the Speaker is Micheal Martin or anyone else. They want to see MPs brought to book and the system cleaned up. Today is the start of that process not the end.
Newslinks for Saturday 25th May
2 hours ago
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And what was it that made him resign? Not allowing police into the Palace of Westminster on trumped up charges from the Home Office, not his lack of knowledge of parliamentary procedure, not the divisive way in which he was elected to the post, and not really the actions of the fees office.
What caused his downfall was his rudeness in the house to Kate Hoey and Norman Baker. MPs have successfully diverted attention from their expenses by scapegoating a speaker who should have resigned long ago, when it became clear he was not up to the job.
The fees office should now be closed down and MPs should have to claim their expenses from the same office as other public servants, perhaps judges or for the time being, the expenses department of the London Assembly. The fees office is not fit for purpose and it is this that needs reforming before we can have confidence in the expenses system for out MPs.
Any MP who currently has a second home in London should now sell it to the state, so that we have a pool of second homes for MPs. Alternatively if they wish to keep ownership of their second home they should not ask for a penny more of public money.
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