The Wardman Wire

On Thursday this week we’ll be starting a multi-Parliamentary roundup from multiple personalities in multiple Parliaments. Sadie Smith of Sadie’s Tavern did a trial run around Westminster. Here is the summary; the full report is over at the Tavern.

(On a sidenote, we are still thinking about names for reports. Suggestions are welcome in the comments).

Westminster Watch 25/2 - 3/3

It’s been a week of contrasts and thinly veiled class warfare here at Westminster. Revelations in last week’s Sundays that Commons Speaker Michael Martin had snaffled a cool £17,000 of expenses last year to pay a mortgage on a house he already owns has divided opinion amongst MPs, the press, and bloggers alike.

In the red corner the Martin cheerleaders are muttering how this is all an eeeevil campaign perpetrated by a bunch of Eton hoorays in the media and in Parliament who want to remind the proletariat of their place; in the blue corner his detractors are trumpeting that this is an outrageous misuse of public funds for which he should resign (even if he weren’t a bit crap).

Meanwhile, at least one potential contender for the Speaker post - should Martin, entirely by his own choice you understand, fall on his sword - has been practising his Elder Statesman routine in front of anyone who can’t manage to run away fast enough.

News from Elsewhere

• The bowel-clenching tedium of the debate on the Lisbon Treaty was unexpectedly enlivened by some we-shall-not-be-moved action from the Liberal Democrats.
• A protest on the roof of the Commons led to the arrest of a Parliamentary bag-carrier.
• And the Gord got down wiv da kidz at the Labour Party’s Spring Conference in Birmingham.

Wicked, innit?

Read it all.

Tags: westminster watch, sadie smith, michael martin, mr speaker[tags]westminster watch, sadie smith, michael martin, mr speaker[/tags]