Easy to say he was "so incompetent" but I have watched the Parliament channel a lot over the years and thought his handling of debate had a good touch. He could not read documents out well and had to refer to Erskine May and his Clerks on complex procedural issues but he would not be alone in that, and there is no shame attached to seeking advice or not being able to issue an instant judgment.He was tarnished unfairly by the raids on an MP's office in seach of evidence of a regular leak from the Home Office, where the signs are that there was confusion over whether the police were acting under a search warrant or had permission from the Serjeant at Arms.I don't know who is responsible for running the Fees Office, but it does appear the officials there had become totally incapable of reporting the excesses they managed there and may have connived for goodness knows what reason in encouraging MPs to up their claims or rearrange them to advantage. As to Martin's own claims, it must be a peculiar hell to live above this particular shop.The next Speaker may well be either the patrician Sir George Young, who has few enemies and is much respected (he was a good Minister in his time though too weet for Mrs T), or Frank Field (who nurses grudges for a long time, but might be a reformer). Alan Beith is like the dormouse in Alice in Wonderland, Sir Patrick Cormack is like Mr Beadle, Richard Sheppard has angled for the job but should not get it for having been so prominent in shooting the present fox, Sylvia Heal is the sister of you-know-who, and Sir Alan Hazelhurst has a slight problem with his own expenses. Kenneth Clarke would tire of the job very rapidly, likewise Sir Ming Campbell. Jack Straw might be OK but his deafness would be a handicap (or peraps a blessing). John Bercow is loathed by his fellow Tory MPs as far too wet and independent-minded. My money is on Sir George.
Dan Filson ● 6215d