So are Labour on their way out?

DVB Cornwall · Tue 19 May, 2009 16.15

My relatively simple solution to the expenses issue ...

Salary wef 01-Apr-2009 - £120K. Upvalued annually in line with Benefits.

Expenses - NONE apart from travel costs -
100 round trips by first class rail travel to the nearest station to the count centre of the members constituency plus £200 per km from the nearest station to the count centre per year.
The cost of a London Annual Travel Card.

Constituency running expenditure transferred to House of Commons authorities directly.

Gluben · Tue 19 May, 2009 18.54

Gavin Scott wrote:So Michael Martin is stepping down. His sneery handling of the MPs who raised the issue in the Commons was shameful - but I can't help but conclude he's being offered up as a sacrificial slaughter.

Can anyone confirm if those who are seeking to oust him are also on the Telegraph's name and shame list?

I think Sir Alan Haselhurst is on both, and is the frontrunner in the race to be Speaker. He's also Deputy Speaker and our local MP, and a good friend of my grandad. It was quite amusing hearing my mum tell me over the phone of my grandad's attempts to defend him, since he's "such a nice man".

Still, Haselhurst has tried to explain his side of the story:
http://www.siralanhaselhurst.net/ConstituentLetter.htm

He's probably still going to be the favourite, since he's well liked on both sides of the House. We shall see.

Philip Cobbold · Tue 19 May, 2009 18.58

I know this is never going to happen, but is there anything to stop Gordon Brown being elected as Speaker, if every member nominated and then elected him? It might be one way to get rid of him.

Lorns · Tue 19 May, 2009 21.43

I know next months elections are the European ones and the MEPs expenses would make for better reading than our MPs.
This has got to be the first time ever i really don't know which way to vote. I don't want to waste it by not voting, nor do i want to make a lunatic BNP protest vote. At the mo i'm not interested in the EU. It's local and national issues that i'm interested in. Bollox to Brussels.

Where's is the Monster raving loony party when you need them?

Chie · Tue 19 May, 2009 21.54

Philip Cobbold wrote:I know this is never going to happen, but is there anything to stop Gordon Brown being elected as Speaker, if every member nominated and then elected him? It might be one way to get rid of him.

I don't think party leaders can be elected.

When somebody is elected as Speaker of the House they have to forfeit their party membership. Obviously they carry on being an MP to their constituents, but they have to be completely neutral as far as government and party politics are concerned.

DVB Cornwall · Tue 19 May, 2009 22.15

Any candidate for the post has to consent to nomination and speak to the house on the day of election. Brown therefore is more or less out of the race as a result.

Square Eyes · Tue 19 May, 2009 22.53

Ann Widdecombe for speaker.

Maggie Mash · Tue 19 May, 2009 23.03

I would like to think that with my years of experience in the continuity booth at Yorkshire Television, as well as my extensive voice work for the SATS exam board and HSBC that I would be first in line to be speaker. After all I can annunciate a lot better than that Michael Martin.

Lorns · Tue 19 May, 2009 23.56

GO MARGO! GO MARGO!

barcode · Thu 21 May, 2009 09.50

Glasgow Springburn is the next by election, does David Cameron have a hope in hell in winning? NO

This is the problem, Labour may be on the way out in England but there still have support up in the Central belt, I think just like last time The tories will lost there deposit, as most people hate them

Glasgow East: Tories only got a 1000 votes :roll:

Dr Lobster* · Tue 02 Jun, 2009 18.08

surely today's raft of high profile resignations and poor old alistair darling's tear jerking interview with nick robinson yesterday signal a government offically in it's death-throes?

i don't recall even the end of the major years being as bad as this. roll on general election, roll on.