A chance to renew our democracy
‘Senior cabinet figures are discussing backing a radical constitutional convention to reform parliament and restore faith in democracy as a longer-term response to the crisis facing Westminster in the wake of the expenses scandal.’ – Patrick Wintour, The Guardian
‘We have reached a defining moment – for the public, politicians and, yes, the media. We need a three Rs approach: reparation, reassurance and renewal. On expenses, we must make reparations with a system of reassessment and payback. We have to provide reassurance immediately with an interim system imposing moratoriums on claims for furniture and a cap on interest claims. And, for the future allowance system, we need the independent input that the Committee on Standards in Public Life will provide. But we also must seize the opportunity for much wider debate and action to address the underlying problems – and to renew politics and parliament.’ – Harriet Harman, The Guardian
‘Yes, clearly, Speaker Martin must go. The Commons no-confidence motion, the growing complaints from MPs and now the convention-defying call for his resignation from the Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, make his position impossible. Senior Labour figures are also admitting, privately, that his time is up. Yet the Speaker’s departure is pointless if it’s just a personal thing. His resignation must be an opener, not closure, the first symbolic act of a much more radical cleansing of the Commons.’ – Jackie Ashley, The Guardian
Row over MPs’ expenses continues
‘Labour was last night considering suspending the whip from a third MP
over his mortgage-related expenses after the Daily Telegraph alleged
that Ben Chapman, the MP for Wirral South, was given permission by
Commons authorities to claim taxpayer-funded allowances for part of a
mortgage he had already repaid.’ – Patrick Wintour, The Guardian
‘Two years later, on July 29, 2008, Mr McCartney wrote to the fees office explaining that he wanted to pay the money back following rule changes related to claiming for furniture, soft furnishings and decorations.’ – Nick Allen, Daily Telegraph
‘Though the anger is understandable, anger is rarely a wise guide to action. The system must be changed, but not in a spirit of mob outrage. If there was not a problem which required thought, it would never have arisen. The new arrangements will need calmness and deliberation. Sir Christopher Kelly, the civil servant in charge of the expenses review, has exasperated a lot of MPs by insisting that he needs time to produce a proper report. He has a good case.’ – Bruce Anderson, The Independent
‘I now believe that the parliamentary crisis can generate the energy to create a fully elected House of Lords. In some ways that would be less efficient and less well informed than the present House, and it will certainly be more expensive. Yet an unelected House lacks representative authority. There will also need to be constitutional changes in the House of Commons. The Speaker actually opposed the reform of the present system for expenses. I do not see how he can go on. He is not a bad man, but he has let the House of Commons down.’ – William Rees-Mogg, The Times
‘In the North West, set to return eight MEPs on June 4, one fewer than last time, there are fears that disenchantment with mainstream politicians will result in an all-time low turn-out in a region whichreturns the lowest polls in Europe. In this atmosphere, UKIP candidates could fill their boots, and Nick Griffin, of the British National Party (BNP), could win a platform in Brussels.’ – Russell Jenkins, The Times
Speaker under pressure
‘The Speaker of the House of Commons is to make a statement to MPs later, amid growing calls for him to quit over his handling of the expenses furore.’ – BBC
‘Michael Martin will make a last desperate attempt to save his job as Speaker today after both main opposition parties declared his position untenable.
Faced with a clamour of calls to resign, he revealed that he was to rush forward reforms to the discredited system of MPs’ expenses, which he will present to the Commons.’ – Sam Coates, The Times
‘The Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, will today make a last-ditch bid to save his job when he tells MPs he intends to lead a drive to reform parliament’s corrupted expenses system, and so defy a gathering campaign supported by senior figures in all three main parties to oust him from office immediately.’ – Patrick Wintour, The Guardian
‘The game is almost up for Michael Martin. Yesterday’s resignation demand from the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, and today’s expected motion of no confidence show clearly how weak the position of the Speaker of the House of Commons has become.’ – Leader, The Independent
European elections
‘I won’t be mean-spirited. The leader of the opposition is on a good
run, but the deserved plaudits will end next month when he leads his
party into the swamp of reactionary politics.’ – Nick Cohen, The Observer
Indian election
‘But Congress bucked every trend and has emerged triumphant in a victory
analyst Mahesh Rangarajan calls a “historic moment” in India’s
democracy.’ – BBC
‘The National Congress party will form a new, stronger government this
week, better able to push through its reforms, after voters gave it an
unexpectedly decisive show of support in the month-long general
elections.’ – Amelia Gentleman, The Guardian
Sri Lanka’s civil war comes to an end
‘Sri Lanka’s 25-year civil war came to an end yesterday with the offer of The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to “silence our guns”. Having been pushed by government forces into a square kilometre patch of land in the north of the island, they had no other choice.’ – Leader, The Independent
‘The end yesterday of the once-ferocious army of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was as bitter and bloody as everyone had feared. Ignoring rebel calls for a ceasefire, in the same way it had brushed aside calls to halt the shelling, the Sri Lankan army launched its final assault on a pocket of territory no bigger than 400 by 600 metres. Wave after wave of suicide bombers blew themselves up on the frontline, after 70 were killed trying to flee in boats.’ – Editorial, The Guardian
Netanyahu and Obama meeting
‘Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is due at the White House for his first meeting with US President Barack Obama.’ – BBC
Car scrappage scheme launched
‘Drivers with cars that are more than 10 years old can now scrap them in return for a £2,000 discount on a new model, as the car scrappage scheme begins.
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said the £300m scheme would “provide a boost to the industry and kick-start sales”.’ – BBC