Big beast backbenchers likely to join Douglas Carswell's campaign against the Speaker

Both Iain Martin and James Forsyth examine the chances of Michael Martin surviving as Commons Speaker.

James writes:

"Word is that David Cameron feels he cannot call for Martin to go openly because of the constitutional implications of doing so. He has walked up to the line, saying at his press conference earlier this week that it is convention that he doesn’t criticise the Speaker so he wouldn’t say anything at all about the Speaker. But this is no time to put parliamentary convention ahead of the public interest; doing so is partly what has got our system of government into this sorry state."

It's much more likely that big beast backbenchers and Nick Clegg will join Douglas Carswell MP's moves against The Speaker but James Forsyth is right; This is no time for conventional niceties.  He just needs to go and be replaced by a Speaker committed to parliamentary reform.

Tim Montgomerie