Disgraced Speaker Michael Martin To Be Elevated to the House of Lords

'Michael Martin faces elevation to the House of Lords just as the Upper Chamber prepares to overhaul its system of expenses to give peers a less generous deal than before. The Speaker will move from the eye of one expenses storm to another as the House of Lords is today expected to launch an independent inquiry into the £18m a year claimed by peers for expenses. This will give Mr Martin’s new Parliamentary home a familiar feel. Speakers are given a peerage on completion of their time in the chair regardless of the circumstances of their departure.'