Huhne joins calls to oust speaker

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Liberal Democrats Home Affairs spokesman Chris Huhne has joined the calls for Commons Speaker Michael Martin to be removed from his post.

Mr Huhne told the BBC: "I think Michael Martin will have to go. I don't think he's the right person to do this job."

A no confidence motion in the Speaker is to be tabled over what some view as his poor handling of the expenses row.

Some MPs felt he was more concerned with attacking those who criticised him than responding to public anger.

Speaking on BBC 2's Newsnight, Mr Huhne said: "Whatever his virtues in the past, the truth is we need new leadership to make sure we grapple with this issue.

"I think that the Speaker needs to be a reformer who's going to be determined to sweep the stables clean."

Conservative backbencher Douglas Carswell is to table the no confidence motion next week.

Labour MP Gordon Prentice and fellow Labour MP Paul Flynn, along with Lib Dem Norman Lamb, have already said that they will back the motion.

Mr Prentice argued the speaker was now "too compromised" by recent events and so should stand down immediately.