Maidstone MP to be interim Speaker?
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Maidstone MP Ann Widdecombe has been tipped as interim
Speaker in the House of Commons.
Sky News sources say the Maidstone and the Weald backbencher is
prepared to stand in as interim Speaker until the next general
election.
It comes after current Speaker Michael Martin announced his
resignation today, coming into effect on June 21.
The new Speaker is expected to take up the role the
following day.
However, when quizzed by reporters today the former Tory Home
Office minister said she was still intending to retire at the next
election, and was non-committal over her Speaker prospects.
Ann Widdecombe said she had not ruled
out the idea but had only learned of the speculation linking her to
the job as an interim Speaker.
She said: "I have only just
heard about the idea and it has never been suggested to me before
now. Frankly, I have not had any time to think about
it.
"I do not even know that it is a
good idea to have an interim Speaker. I am going to listen to what
people have to say but unless there was an awful out of support out
there, I am not sure."
But she confirmed that whatever
happened, she would retire as MP at the election.
Audio: Hear Ann
Widdecombe speaking to a Sky news reporter today
For the first time, MPs will hold a secret
ballot to elect a Speaker.
Speaking after Mr Martin's
announcement, Kent MPs have said his resignation was inevitable
after his failure to announce his intention to stand down
yesterday.
But one Labour backbencher said his
departure next month should not be seen as the solution to the
problems facing the Commons and the on-going row over
allowances.
Dr Steve Ladyman, Thanet
South Labour MP, said: "It was inevitable when he failed
to make any announcement yesterday. If he had said that he was
going to stand down at the next general election, he could have
survived. Having said that, we must not think as MPs that this
sorts out the expenses issue. He cannot be a scapegoat. It is
important that we go on and fix the problem rather than think that
in getting rid of the Speaker everything is all right," he
said.
Faversham and Mid Kent MP Hugh
Robertson (Con) said: "He has done the right thing in the
circumstances. By no stretch of the imagination could you blame him
entirely for what has happened, but his removal was a necessary
pre-requisite to start the process of reforming the House of
Commons."
North Thanet`s MP, Roger Gale, described
the resignation as "the wrong head on the wrong block".
Speaking at the House, the veteran Tory backbencher
said:
"It is hard not to conclude that the Speaker has carried the can
for the failure of the House of Commons to put its own house in
order."
It would have been more desirable, he said, for the Speaker
to have put in place an interim agreement pending the findings of
the review being conducted by Sir Christopher Kelly.
Paul Clark, MP for Gillingham
and Rainham, said: "I'm sorry to see Michael Martin
announce he is standing down.
"Whatever the new system is for
members of parliament to provide a proper balance in terms of the
necessary allowances to do their jobs what we must make sure is
that people like Michael Martin who come from a working class
family from the slums of Glasgow are not precluded from
representing the people of this country. We cannot go back to
the days where it's only those with money who could be elected to
be representatives for this country."
Tuesday, May 19 2009
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