The expenses scandal again

[wellinghall]

[Poll #1401881]

Comments

[sally_maria]

I think he should resign, but if he doesn't, I can't think of a way of removing him that wouldn't set a dreadful precedent for the future. But then I'm a dedicated traditionalist.

[gramarye1971]

The only possible course of action I can imagine, if he doesn't resign and can't be sacked by the House through any particular constitutional channels, is for someone to do the semi-unthinkable and actually try to turf him out at Glasgow North East in the next General Election. The SNP opposed him in 2001 and 2005, even if the Tories and Lib Dems didn't.

It's an extremely long shot, and it doesn't solve the immediate problem, but it's the only vaguely constitutional approach I can think of.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

I understand the Conservative party believes that they can force him out if they win the next election. This is why they don't want to force him to resign right now - they would prefer to have a majority in the Commons to allow them to choose the person they want rather than get another person picked by Labour. I have no idea how, under the Parliamentary rules, they will do this, but this situation has been much discussed on Radio 4 without anyone suggesting the Speaker could hang on in these circumstances.

[camillofan.livejournal.com]

I voted no, undoubtedly proving that I'll never understand British politics.

Orwell was prescient

[jhgowen.livejournal.com]

So much for "An end to Tory Sleaze".

After 12 years of Labour government, we are the animals standing outside the farmhouse looking from man to pig, and pig to man, and being hardly able to tell the difference.

[lalwendeboggart.livejournal.com]

Is he any worse than any of the others right now? Maybe the Queen should simply dissolve this Parliament and we should start again?

And on a random note - is that Haddon Hall in your avatar?

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

He's a scapegoat- pure and simple. MPs are frantically trying to blame him in the hope that they will deflect some of the bad publicity away from themselves and onto him. Yes, he probably should have done more, but the fact is that even if he had wanted to there was simply not the political will to do so.

Sacking him would be a very verya dangerous precedent indeed.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I've just been enjoying suggestions for alternative speakers for the house of commons on the radio.

My favorites were:
1) Brian Blessed
2) Zippy from Rainbow
3) Have a new guest speaker every week, like Have I got News For you*

*the advantage of this suggestion of course is that it might eventually be Rolf Harris, and we would see a packed house united by singing 'Two Little Boys'.

[thecatsamuel.livejournal.com]

He's just announced he's going on June 21st. Clearly you have super powers and great influence on British politics.