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Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail Yahoo! Search Search: Sign InNew User? Sign Up News Home - Help Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Africa Europe Latin America Middle East North America Search Search: Britain's Commons speaker quits AFP - Wednesday, May 20 LONDON (AFP) - - The speaker of the House of Commons resigned Tuesday over an MPs' expenses scandal which has plunged Britain into its worst political crisis for years and outraged voters. ADVERTISEMENT Michael Martin became the first person to quit the prestigious post since 1695 after losing moral authority among lawmakers, 23 of whom had signed a motion of no confidence. Although there had been questions over his leadership for years, Martin's fate was sealed by his failure to embrace reforms which his opponents said were necessary to rebuild public confidence in politicians after the expenses furore. "In order that unity can be maintained, I have decided that I will relinquish the office of speaker on Sunday June 21," he said in a brief statement to the lower house. Martin , a former sheet metal worker and trade unionist, is also stepping down as a lawmaker for his home city, Glasgow. This will leave Prime Minister Gordon Brown's struggling Labour government to fight a by-election in what was once a safe seat but could now be a magnet for anti-sleaze campaigners. Revelations about lawmakers' lavish expense claims have dominated the headlines for nearly two weeks, prompting public fury in Britain as it struggles with its worst recession since World War II. The Daily Telegraph newspaper has published leaked documents showing how MPs claimed from the public purse for everything from food and drink to repairs to a swimming pool, tennis court and a castle moat and installing a chandelier. Both of the main political parties have announced action to crack down on over-extravagant spending. Brown said that no MP who had defied expenses rules would be allowed to stand at the next general election. David Cameron, leader of the main opposition Conservatives who polls tip to be premier within about a year, has forced some of his lawmakers to pay back expenses and is publishing all the party's claims online. Meanwhile, Douglas Hogg, a backbench Conservative who charged taxpayers for the cost of cleaning the moat at his country home, said he would not stand at the next election, which must be held by mid-2010. Commentators said Martin was doomed following a stumbling, bad-tempered session in the House of Commons on Monday when he made a statement on the row but still faced repeated calls to quit. News of his departure was welcomed by MPs from across the political divide. Stuart Bell, a Labour lawmaker and Martin ally, said the speaker had "paid a heavy price for trying to be an establishment figure when the establishment was falling away." "A speaker of the House of Commons must have authority," he said. "Michael Martin clearly lost it yesterday." Douglas Carswell, the Conservative lawmaker who led calls for Martin to quit, said the resignation "gives us a unique opportunity now to create a new House of Commons that is not a caste apart. "We have to modernise the building and make it suitable for the age of YouTube." A new speaker will be elected on June 22. Possible candidates include Ann Widdecombe, a colourful Conservative Catholic who also writes novels and could fill the position on an interim basis. Aristocratic Conservative ex-minister Sir George Young and Labour's Frank Field, known for his work on welfare reform, are also in the frame. Some critics say Martin's resignation is a red herring in the expenses debate and that lawmakers alone are responsible for the current row. A cartoon in the Times newspaper Tuesday showed an MP with his hand caught in a shop till being grabbed by two policemen and saying: "Frankly, I blame our bloody awful speaker". After Martin quit, the chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, Ken Ritchie, added: "One burnt offering cannot change the culture at Westminster. "The politicians, who seem so set on human sacrifice, have steered clear of the more difficult course -- and that is genuine and deep reform of the Commons." Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Sign in to recommend this article » 0 users recommend Related Articles: World Biden kicks off tour of fragile BalkansAFP - Wednesday, May 20 Vodafone earnings plummet after massive chargeAFP - Wednesday, May 20 German confidence index posts further gainAFP - Wednesday, May 20 Japan reports 178 swine flu casesAFP - Wednesday, May 20 Astronauts poised for farewell to revamped HubbleAFP - Wednesday, May 20 Enlarge Photo Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin is seen here in 2008, will reportedly quit in the first such resignation for over 300 years as MPs reel from an expenses scandal behind their worst political crisis for decades. Most Popular – World Viewed Popular cereal is a drug, US food watchdog says Astronauts poised for farewell to revamped Hubble Coral Triangle could die by century's end: WWF British store admits it boobed in bra row Australian zoo evacuated after orangutan escape View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Community - Intellectual Property Rights Policy - Help

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