Ross Lydall: Michael Martin's last hurrah approaches

The Rt Hon Michael Martin MP, or Mr Speaker as he prefers, will be lapping up hypocritical tributes next Wednesday after chairing his last Prime Minister's Questions.

Announcing forthcoming Commons business today, Harriet Harman, the Labour Leader of the House, said business next Wednesday (17 June) would include "Mr Speaker's valedictory and tributes by the House".

This, of course, will be the same House that only a few weeks ago could not get rid of Mr Martin, Speaker since 2000, quickly enough as a sop to public anger over the MPs' expenses scandal.

Mr Martin has since had his 15 minutes of infamy - while the public shows no sign of forgetting about moat-dredging, duck houses and porno DVDs.
We are told to expect that all MPs' expenses for the last four years will be published on Thursday 18 June (on the Parliament website rather than that of The Daily Telegraph) - giving Mr Martin enough time to slope off on holiday rather than face any further embarrassment, having been instrumental in trying to block their release.

Mr Martin formally stands down on Sunday 21 June, with a new Speaker being elected in the Commons the following day. No announcement on the date of the by-election in Glasgow North East (or Ian Gibson's Norwich North constituency) yet, though.