| Topic: | Re:MPs expenses | |
| Posted by: | James Dixon | |
| Date/Time: | 19/05/09 10:31:00 |
| Yes, Speaker Martin is indeed in charge of the Fees Office. As such, he would appear to stand condemned on the grounds of failure of leadership. A leader is not expected to know the detail of all that goes on in his own 'office', but this Speaker has presided over a situation which has got out of hand; has condemned those who seek to criticise it; and has had the audacity of suggesting that the police should be called in to investigate whoever leaked all this material to the Daily Telegraph. Now this latter point is interesting; perhaps there is an element of illegality there. But woe betide anybody who sought to bring a prosecution under that heading! The tide of public opinion is against it, with one speaker on 'Question Time' last week suggesting, tongue in cheek no doubt, that the Editor be knighted! Have we yet got to the point as to the quantum of the Speaker's own expenses claims? If we have, I have missed it. David Cameron came over very well on Breakfast TV this morning, demonstrating, in this instance, good leadership, although I seem to recall that even he has had to pay back some expenses relating to the cutting down of wysteria in his garden? |