After days of mounting pressure over Britain?s parliamentary expenses scandal, Michael Martin, the speaker of the House of Commons, announced Tuesday that he would step down ? the first holder of the prestigious position to be ousted in more than 300 years.
?In order that unity can be maintained, I have decided that I will relinquish the office of speaker on Sunday, June 21,? he said. A successor would be appointed the next day. He gave no further details of his decision and went on to conduct normal parliamentary business.
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In over a week of front-page disclosures, The Telegraph has cited official records of four years of expense claims to report that members of Parliament have charged ? and been routinely reimbursed ? for items like hedge-trimming, moat-clearing and tennis court repairs.
According to the newspaper?s account, legislators have put manure, massage chairs and pornographic videos on their expense accounts. They have charged for flat-screen televisions and bathrobes, and for workers to change their light bulbs and show them how to operate their washing machines. They have used their expense accounts to pay off their mortgages and to renovate houses that they then sold at huge profits. Some billed for mortgage repayments on home loans that had already been paid off.
Forget about Wall Street … public service seems to be the ticket to easy street.
It’s easy to pile on over the demise of the traditional newspaper, but how would scandals such as this come to light without the presence of a strong, free press? Rick Henderson has some good thoughts on the challenges and opportunities of media here.
