SNP COMMENT ON SPEAKER RESIGNATION.

SNP COMMENT ON SPEAKER RESIGNATION.

Commenting on the statement by Michael Martin confirming that he is to stand down as Commons Speaker on 21 June, SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson MP repeated calls for immediate action on expenses reform.

Mr Robertson, who will be attending this afternoon’s party leaders meeting on expenses reform, said:

“Michael Martin has done the honourable thing, and we wish him well for the future. The reality is that the Westminster mess did not start with Speaker Martin, and it will not end with his resignation. After all, the Speaker was advised by senior Labour, Tory and Liberal MPs – they have to look to their own conduct, and Westminster as a whole must do the right thing and bring in real reform right now.

“More important than who sits in the Speaker’s chair is sorting this mess out, and that is why the SNP is proposing a four point plan for immediate reform.

“First, the review of the last four years of claims must be carried out by independent audit outwith Parliament in a matter of weeks, so that MPs’ accounts can be cleared or otherwise, and we begin the urgent process of restoring public confidence.

“Second, as an interim measure in advance of any recommendations by Sir Christopher Kelly, Westminster must immediately adopt the working practices of the Scottish Parliament – full disclosure of all MP claims within three months.

“Third, there must be agreement that the practice of ‘flipping’ and house transfer is immediately suspended.

“And fourth, there needs to be recognition that paying mortgage interest and funding speculation in the property market is at the heart of what is wrong with the Westminster system, and Sir Christopher Kelly be tasked with bringing forward proposals to end it.

“These are the measures which the SNP wanted to present to the Members' Allowances Committee - the committee charged with cleaning up the Commons expenses system – but SNP membership was blocked by Labour. The petty, partisan politics responsible for that carve-up must stop, and Westminster get on with the job of real reform – and that means learning from the Scottish Parliament’s allowances system, and adopting its procedures forthwith.

“The Scottish Parliament introduced reforms on an all-party basis when it was necessary to do so, and where Holyrood has led the Westminster Parliament must now follow.”