Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of Michael Martin’s tenure as speaker (I hold the view that he’s no worse than most MPs on his expenses, while being an adequate but not outstanding speaker), Conservative MPs would be absolutely crazy to try and get rid of him now.
The reason is simple. Martin is very likely to retire after the next election, no matter what he says now. If he goes now, many Labour MPs would feel that he’d been decapitated by an alliance of right wing journalists and Tory MPs out for revenge. As a result they would almost certainly rally to elect another Labour speaker (Sylvia Heal being a likely choice).
Since Labour have an effective majority in the seventies, even if, say 10% of Labour MPs voted for someone else, they’d be able to elect the speaker of their choice. That speaker would then expect to be in office for at least another parliament.
However, if the Conservatives wait until after the next election there’s a chance they will either be largest party, or even in government. Even if not, a reduced Labour majority might mean that, like John Major in 1992, it would be impossible for the Labour benches alone to elect a speaker. So if the Tory back benches really want a Tory speaker, they should wait a while.
Of course, none of this should really matter, as the Speaker is strictly neutral. I know some Conservatives feel that Speaker Martin has been insufficiently open to their concerns, but some Labour MPs feel he’s been insufficiently radical and too protective of outdated, small c conservatism in the House.
Personally, I think it’s a strange prize to be excited about. It’s a wonderful role, but it’s it’s like being elected President of the Oxford Union- the prize is in the glamour and the attention, not in the authority and the power.
7 Comments
February 25, 2008 at 11:52 am
The Conservatives would be mad not to get rid of him. They should also be calling for his wife to be arrested.
Failing to rid Parliament of corruption, because of cynical party calculations like the ones you are discussing will not help any MP of any party when it comes to seeking re-election.
February 25, 2008 at 12:11 pm
technomist. I think if Michael Martin were guilty of any corruption the Conservatives wouldn’t need to get rid of him.
(I want to be careful here, I’m not suggesting that the Conservatives MPs en masse _are_ tying to get rid of Martin, merely that they should put any such temptation aside.)
February 25, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I agree with Hopi. Many backbench Labour MPs regard Mick Martin as “their” man and they will not stand for Tory attempts to decapitate him and replace him with George Young.
February 25, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I’m still trying to work out what Alan Milburn is up to.
For a man who wanted(/s?) to be PM briefing the MoS about the speaker’s allowances is a bit… erm petty?
February 25, 2008 at 2:37 pm
I understood that he wanted to remain Speaker after the next election? It would be better if he gave an indication that he intended to resign from the role at the next election and stop all the mumblings which is doing no good.
I do not think he is a good Speaker and I make this judgement having heard some four previous speakers. He often loses control of the House and has made some astonishing judgements. Previous speakers did not permit the level of noise and I felt were more balanced.
I thought it was outrageous that he appointed three old MPs to review expenses. I can remember two of them making the headlines related to expenses. I believe Sir Stuart Bell got into trouble over the employment of his son and David Maclean made the headlines for purchasing a small fourwheeled vehicle with Commons expenses. Mr Maclean does have mobility problems but his claim that he needed such a vehicle because of his rural constituency was insulting. I live in a rural area and such vehicles are toys. Regrettably, I see the Speaker as holding on to the perks and practices and this is not acceptable given the continual negative press reporting which is damaging to representatives. Finally, he attempted to block a FOI on MPs expense claims. In all, I am not impressed and it has nothing to do with his background (I admire him for this)- simply performance.
February 26, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Jane’ point is a good one .He has to signal his intention to go and the truth is its about incompetence and bias more than anything else. It may be dificult for him now but if he continues to favour the Labour Party in the way he has it cannot be tolerated for long .
Hope you know very well this is not a six of one half a dozen of the other thing . He hates the Conservative Party.How much more obvious would you like it to be ?
May 18, 2009 at 1:59 pm
[...] only view has been that tactically it’s a bad idea for the Tories to want to replace him now, when they will have more MPs after the election. (In that piece, written in the middle of a scandal [...]