Dishonesty, Dishonesty, Dishonesty. That really does sum up both the Government and Parliament. If this man was telling lies on his own initiative why didn't the Speaker publicly correct him? I suspect the answer to be that he was acting on Martin's instructions.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

Nothing will happen. He is a close ally of Gordon.

Geoff Stringer, Southend-on-Sea Essex , ENGLAND

I would like to see Animal Farm made a compulsory part of the curriculum for all schools.

jasper, chelmsford,

You can see by the "cut of his jib" that this Speaker is a wrong un. He will not go and Brown will not have the guts to make a fellow Scot walk the plank.

The time has come for M.P's to be paid a flat rate for office expenses and salary. The amounts must be set prior to the next election and can not be changed for the duration of that Parliament.
Regarding payments for London Lodgings etc. It is simple, any M.P with a constituency within 30 miles of Westminster should live in his own home with no allowances. Those outside the area can be given a rent free room at ,say the former R.N College at Geenwich or (better still some area such as Brixton) for use whilst Parliament is sitting. They can travel to the Palace of Westminster by Public Transport for which they should pay like everyone else. In the recesses they would have to pay rent for their room ,(otherwise they would probably let it.)

Michael Boyd-Carpenter, Creyssac, France

Some of this does seem rather iffy but using business-earned air miles for personal use is common practice in business and, in my opinion, is quite acceptable. The only problem I can see with it is the temptation stick with a certain carrier in order to earn air miles rather than to shop around for better value flights.

Stefan Kuna, Norwich,

Colin Sime, Edinburgh, Scotland. 'Broken no rules'?
Using taxpayers money by stepping outside of the 'rules' set up on how you can properly appropriate them is called stealing where I come from. It has nothing to do with where he comes from, and he isn't the only one slurping at the trough.
These people are granted a luxury expense system courtesy the taxpayer, yet still they think it is ok to abuse it. Well the public do not agree and want them, rightly, kicked out of their jobs. We want the Westminster gravy-train brought to a halt and fast.

David Thijm, Stourbridge, UK

The problem with corruption is the difficulty in preventing it. For example, it appears that MPs will shortly be prevented from employing family members and paying them out of their allowances .....Conwayism. However, it is so easy to avoid the ban. MPs invariably share offices. So as an MP I will employ family members of the MP sharing my office..........and vice versa.
EASY! I may, like many millions of voters, be cynical, but who can blame us when it appears so many MPs are defrauding the public. It may be within the rules, but to the voter its fraud. I suppose it's a little like spin is really deceit, and 'spin doctors' are really professional liars.

Steve, Chepstow,

I used to look up to our political system and its 'honesty' and look down on other countries for their graft, nepotism and wheeler dealing.
Now my countries parliamentary system I thought so much of is in the gutter looking up at those other countries.
When are we going to have honest government again?
When are the public going to show their anger and vote the main parties out of office?
When are we going to make it illegal for MPs and that ilk to fiddle while the country burns?
When will we have a truly independent body to police government?

Howard, Basildon, England

The is clearly sleaze at the root of this story but to criticize an individual for using air miles earned through office for family is too much. How many in the private sector would not do the same. I certainly do.

dave, truro, UK

All this at the same time as WO1 Fitzmaurice with 22 years loyal service to his credit is in jail for civil disobedience, concerning his protest against the injustice of Council tax for the elderly. If a crime in respect of fiddling expenses has taken place by any parliamentarian, then surely a prison term would be appropriate?

nemo, nivillac, france

Why does the speaker of the house of commons need a 'media advisor' ?? Why does anyone in the house of commons need media advisors at all ? Surely they are old enough and capable enough of producing their own spin and lies. This is the real scandal, not the nit picking through of allowances they have granted themselves.

Diddly Do, Liverpool,

Mike Granatt misled reporters - unwittingly - and resigned... does anyone else find it curious that paid advisors appear to hold themselves to a higher standard of integrity than our elected officials?

Dale , Wadhurst,

Yet another financial fiasco brought to you by the sleaziest government in living memory.

RB, Abderdeen,

Let's get someone to stand against Martin at the next election on a 'clear out Parliamentary corruption' ticket. The Speaker is usually unopposed, but for the voters, 'the people', to defeat Parliament's own big boss, would give a message that could never be forgotten.

Bernard Clark, London,

We cannot allow MP's to continue to create, adminster and police the laws that effect themselves. Of course they are not breaking the laws, they have created the law to allow themselves to plunder the taxpayers purse. The Speaker is a disgrace and the whole of Westminster can hold themselves responsible for destroying democracy and the trust of the electorate over the last ten years. We need root and branch reform to clear out the "professional policitians" who are robbing the taypayer on a daily basis. Any other walk of life and these people would be facing criminal charges.

Legcutter, Penrith, England

MP abuse of pay, expenses and allowances is systemic. Rather than confront the issue however, the matter is to be reviewed by the self interested Members Estimates Committee, chaired by Michael Martin no less!. And the Committee is to report as late as October, presumably in the hope that public interest will have lessened by then.

It is simply unacceptable, for reasons of public trust, that an internal Commons committee is the only body to examine this key issue. The matter should be referred to the independent Committee on Standards in Public Life.

The electorate deserves no less.

W R Basham, Marmaris, Turkey

If ordinary people make fraudulent expense claims, they get fired, prosecuted and locked up.

Tony B, Uckfield,

Thanks for th apology Megz. And that's why a labour government wont devolve Scotland - they'd never get vted in again.
In this day and age, party politics is an out-dated, inappropriate form of government.
The only way to stop this corruption, is to stop politics being a career path.
Government should be like jury service - something you do as a service to the country. A term of 3 years, fairly compensated (i.e. loss of earnings + inflation rises and fully receipted expenses), with your career position help open whilst on "government service".
As long as the system allows self-advancement, there will be politicians who exploit it.

name witheld, manchester,

Surely the House of Commons Speaker, Michael Martin, must have realised by now why no one is supposed to mention his incompetence?

Brian Christley, Abergele, UK

Parliament's own factsheet on the role of the Speaker states... "The direction and guidance
the House receives from its chairman (Speaker) is
central to the House's whole way of life." Well that says it all!!

As a speaker can be replaced if the incumbent dies or retires (prior to the year 1700, several were executed!!), Mr Martin should consider retiring. Predecessors held the role on average 8 to 10 years and Mr Martin has graced Parliament in this role since 2000.

Trouble is that the next Speaker will be in voted in by the very MPs he represents to our Monarchy, so it is (very) likely that the Speaker's trough will remain as large as it is for the next incumbent.

Graham, Birmingham, UK

Colin Sime, no one, as far as I can see, has mentioned the fact that The Speaker is a Roman Catholic from Glasgow.

He may or may not have done something wrong. His use of public funds should be under scritiny, just like any other public servant.

Or, do you think Roman Catholics from Glasgow should have special treatment, and not be subject to such scrutiny?

John, Glasgow,

It is not only Mr Martin. It is common knowledge ( read the papers, did you see the C4 Dispatcjed programm a few months ago?) most of the Mp's are milking the system and they self regulate themselves. ie make their own rules.
They get away with murder! . In any properly run business every penny would be accounted for and if any abuse came to ligt, the individula would be repremanded and most probably dismissed.
An independent body needs to be set up to review the whole system of MP,s remuneration and expenses.

S Butt, Sutton, uk

Greed, deceitfulness and dishonesty appear to be all you need to be a politician nowadays. If a normal working Joewas pulling the same stunts the law would be on them like a ton of bricks. we are governed by a gang of con artists who use every trick in the book to feather their own nests, con the public who put them where they are and then the disgusting attitude of their spouses and families to be paid from the public purse is, surely, a criminal act. I am totally disgusted that they are allowed to get away with it. This shameful attitude needs to be cleanesd from the top. What a disgusting bunch of individuals. Hang your heads in shame.

Bob Leonard, March, Cambs

An MP's wife shopping for food? Do me a favour not only are they hypocrites of the very worst kind they take us for IDIOTS! are we really meant to believe that his wife went shopping for voul-au-vonts, cocktail sausages & cheese & pineapple on sticks!!! Wake up Britain....

Nina, Chelmsford, UK

There is a pattern emerging. It's simple they think they are untouchable they have been in power too long time to wake them up come the next election!

Richard, Chelmsford, UK

I know. Why don't we have Agency MPs?

No holiday pay, sick pay, pension rights, expenses.

A canteen that only ever serves chips and no subsidised bars and pay your own way into work.

But then they'd just be like us then wouldn't they?

Bob, Northampton,

Send him to Brussels. The trough is bigger there.

George, London, uk

Why hasn't Martin been arrested and charged with fraud, mis-appropriation of public funds and theft? The case for prosecution is undeniable, so let's see it clearly demonstrated that no one is above the law.
Even if he gets away with it, Martin is finished, humiliated, and should be banished from public life. What has happened to the Standards Board? Why have they not stepped in?

Jerry Latham, Uttoxeter, England

Are we surprised the speaker recently rejected a call for all MPs to make their expenses public?

Thorrun, Brentwood,

It seems to be the case that Michael Marin has been a target for some areas of the press since coming to office. His main crime seems to be that he is a Glaswegian Roman Catholic and that would appear to be enough for some people. Michael Martin has apparently broken no rules, yet he is under constant media scrutiny. There must be many others who have claimed this or that in expenses, but all we ever read is non-stories such as the above.

Colin Sime, Edinburgh, Scotland

What about the rest who have abused the system?

Farrukh, Woking, UK

Politicians have already started to get around the expenses scandel, they have drafted a paper saying they can only do the job if they have an extra £27,000 as salary.They say this will prevent any appearance of fraud.It will also increase the already bloated pension benefits that the ordinary working person does not receive.

Steve, Glasgow,

megz, I'd join you in that apology!
But for the fact that we only send 59 of our finest south!
The blame has to lie elswhere I think!

Disgruntled Dorothy, Glasgow, Scotland

This has gone too far. Martin has brought his office into disrepute. He should resign forthwith. And not be put straight into the Lords!

David, Poole,

Avarice, arrogance and corruption at every turn! Why do we continue to elect these people? The only solution is a complete reformation of Parliament, with Accountability as its watchword.

Robert, Hull, East Yorkshire

This is theft of government money, pure and simple.
Its time for the justice system to put one of these high profile, dishonest politicians were they belong – with all the other criminals – in our overcrowded jails.

Charles, Stoke on Trent,

We haven't had a good revolution in this country for years. Maybe it's time we did!

DickW, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Let's assume it is true that the information that an 'administrative official' accompanied Mrs Martin was not provided by the Speaker or his wife. So why did the Speaker or his wife not correct this information when it entered the public domain?

MarkS, Leeds,

Another who will hang on hoping that the storm clouds will pass....and if at last he is compelled to go will claim that he is seeking to prove his innocence.With so many rotten apples in the barrel it is to be hoped that the Press will remind the electorate of individual misdemeanours when the election is called.This "take what I can get away with" attitude must be stopped if politicians are ever to begin to regain a modicum of trust.

c adams, rennes, france

This prevailing atmosphere of bluff it out when caught has developed into so much of a habit amongst MP's, particularly those in government office that they no longer no the difference between evasion and avoidance.

The most annoying thing about of this continuing blatant dishonesty, is these are the same people who make the laws of the land.

Come the next election, and awful lot of smug fiddling overconfident politicians are going to find out they have gone too far.

Ken.H, Harrow,

It is imperative public servants and mps are honest and trustworthy.
How does that co-incide with paying for your wifes Taxi's.

I really do despair that elected officials cant wait to stick noses in the trough while common or garden slightly less than average wage guys just pay through the nose.

Richard Dow, Stenhousemuir, Stirlingshire

Cheerio Mr. Speaker - save your blushes - departure imminent. Better to walk home, a taxi could cause further embarrassment.

No doubt as others you will continue to draw your pay until the next General Election, before your constituents have the opportunity to remove you?

ALAN CHAPMAN, BINGLEY, West Yorkshire

How can we trust our MP's? One scandel after another!

Harry, Gravesend, UK

And they all wonder in Parliament why we the electorate are turned off from voting !!!!!

Ian Payne, Walsall,

Even Heracles couldn't clean all the filth out of the Labour Stable.

Jimbo, Glasgow,

Forgive my ignorance, is Mr Martin Labour or Conservative ?...............Does it matter?

gordon lonsdale, Northampton, uk

And they wonder why we don't bother to vote !

j griffiths, manchester, england

shut the till..... before all the thieves get their hands caught.

I fail to see the issue.

It is simple. Every MP works for their constituents. End of story. They get paid a basic salary of say £200,000 and they do what they want with it. No extrasEvery penny they have that they 'earn' beyond this.... MUST be declared. No company posts, no diectorships, no after dinner speaking. Just 'work' as an MP. It really is simple.

This thieving has been going on for years. And it must stop.

Just watch the 'lawyers' and 'barristers' try and cut it in their own professions again rather than milking the 'tax payers' cow.

Lest we forget Heith Vaz, John Reid and the likes.... all of whom have answered to nobody. We have such short memories.

Mr James, Sutton, England

This sort of government corruption disgusts me. Coming from Ireland, where new revelations about the Taoiseach's dirty dealings are in the news almost every day, I strongly feel that any official engaging in corruption should immediately resign. It is demoralizing for the country, but also embarassing on the world stage. Mr Martin should immediately resign.

Seán, Cork, Éire

Martin has had his snout in the trough, as well as many others, it is high time the augean stables were cleaned out.
He should resign forthwith.

katherine langton, Blackburn, England

Even Mr. Speaker is not clean so who in parliament can we ordinary people trust?
Is there nobody honest in the House of Commons?

george, London, UK

I would just like to give the people of England my unreserved apology for having to put up with the worst, most sleazy, most incompetent government ever. While i don't vote labour myself, i do still feel guilty that many of my fellow Scots do. So on behalf of me i'm really sorry.

megz, glasgow,