The Speaker of the House of Commons to step down

[Banquo's Ghost]

It looks as if Speaker Martin, the most disastrous holder of the office for several centuries, will finally offer to resign this afternoon.

Yesterday saw unprecedented scenes in the House of Commons as the Speaker's authority evaporated in front of one's eyes. It was squalid behaviour, but symptomatic of the utterly base moral vacuum that Parliament now inhabits.

One can but hope this cathartic step will spur on deeper and more necessary reform and the immediate dissolution of this parliament so that the next one, empowered for reform, does exactly that.

Whereas I have been reasonably impressed by Cameron (at least in his ability to read and react, if not his initial leadership) one would worry that he will fall into Blair's trap: possessed of a powerful majority, elected on a mandate for reform and change, the lure of the monarchial powers thus afforded proved too much and reform was diluted into uselessness because the status quo is so much more appealing when in government. Cameron cannot allow his undoubted mandate to cheat the people of the United Kingdom a second time.

Electoral reform to PR, an elected second house (or a return to a hereditary house, anything is better than the bastardised version Blair created) application of the Freedom of Information Act across government with minimal exception, and a written constitution must be forthcoming. Only then will the electorate re-engage with the democratic process instead of chasing politicians and their canvassers down the street with pitchforks.

For interested persons, I include a poll to canvas thoughts on the likely successor to the Speaker's Chair. Whereas Vince Cable is clearly the pre-eminent politician of this time, he ought to be Prime Minister, not Speaker. The fact that he is not even leader of his party speaks volumes. My own view therefore is that Sir George Young has the gravitas, record and breeding to be the best Speaker for these turbulent times - though Frank Field might just have the style to succeed, another Labour Speaker is unthinkable.