Norman Baker on Mr Speaker and the expenses scandal

The saintly Norman Baker writes on the New Statesman website:

Worse, however, has been the appalling attitude of the Speaker, who on Monday reacted with fury to probing and perfectly proper questions from the Labour MP Kate Hoey and myself.

To be frank, there’s long been widespread unhappiness with Speaker Martin, right across the House, but MPs have naturally been reluctant to attack the Chair (and of course risk not being called to speak).

But if the Speaker is going to take off his umpire’s hat and put on his player’s one to shut up MPs and attack them from the Chair, then he cannot in return be surprised if MPs attack him back.