Disgraced?

The wife of the Speaker of the House of Commons appeared in the Evening Standard supposedly wearing just a sheet in front of a hotel window with the Palace of Westminster in the background.

Subsequently she told a BBC Radio 5 Live interviewer that she was ‘probably stupid to do it’. She also confessed that because she is married to the Speaker, ‘... whatever I do is put in the media and used to get at him’.

The office of the Speaker is an ancient one and ranks in the order of precedence above all non-royal individuals except the Prime Minister, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord President of the Council along with some religious leaders.

Is it just possible that the Speaker’s wife disgraced this ancient office? I’d say there is no contest.
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Traditions Upheld

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Despite the jokes about Ken Clarke’s normal attire, I for one was pleased to see him process into the Royal Courts of Justice yesterday dressed in ceremonial robes of wig, gown, stockings and silver-buckled shoes. It was good to see also that the new Solicitor General and Attorney General wore court wigs and gowns.

Now perhaps someone could could persuade the Speaker to follow suit (no pun intended) and restore the traditional ceremonial dress into the House of Commons.
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A Bargain!

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A hoo-ha has developed over Speaker Bercow ordering up a £20,000 refurbishment of the Speaker’s flat in the Palace of Westminster.

Some of the changes are to make the flat more child-friendly, though it seems he has also treated himself to a new sofa suite costing nearly £7,000. I might be wrong, but I don’t think £20k is much for the new Speaker to spend on his flat. After all, Speaker Martin spent £725,000 of our money when he moved into the grace and favour flat in 2000.

Speaker Bercow is a bargain by comparison!
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