Clegg Joins Calls for Speaker to Quit

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 17th May 2009

Helen Foster-Grime & Nick Clegg agree that reform of MP & MEP's expenses is required urgently

Pressure on Commons Speaker Michael Martin dramatically escalated today when Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg joined public calls for him to quit. Mr Clegg abandoned Westminster convention that party leaders avoid criticism of the office holder to demand the exit of "a dogged defender of the ways things are".

"I do not think the Speaker should be made a scapegoat...for the individual failings of many MPs, he told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show. "But equally I do not think we can afford the luxury of a Speaker, who is supposed to embody Westminster, who has been dragging his feet on transparency and greater accountability in the way MPs receive their expenses."

His intervention comes on the eve of the tabling of a motion of "no confidence" in Mr Martin and reports he is set to announce he will step down next year.

Helen agrees with this stand, and believes that Parliament needs a thorough clean out in order to make a fresh start. Helen said, "Parliament needs a Speaker prepared to lead reform. Speaker Martin should not be a scapegoat but he must go now, before the General Election so the process of reform can start. Leadership is needed from a reforming Speaker"

"As a first step in addressing the expenses issue Parliament must accept the Kelly findings in full. But the expenses issue is just the tip of an iceberg. The whole system needs to change."

Nick Clegg added that if MPs are shown to have done wrong by the Committee for Standards, voters should have the right to sack sitting MPs and cause a by election

We must cut back the size and power of Whitehall

Give new freedoms including money-raising powers to local communities

Make voting fair

Have a written constitution prepared by a constitutional convention