Under-fire Speaker to address MPs

The Speaker has been criticised for his handling of the expenses row

The Speaker of the House of Commons is to make a statement to MPs on Monday, amid growing calls for him to quit over the expenses scandal.

Michael Martin has been urged to stand down by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg while MPs from all parties have signed a motion of no confidence in him.

This comes after a week of damaging media revelations about MPs' expenses.

But Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell has said he expects Mr Martin to state he will remain in post until the next election.

'Failure of leadership'

The Speaker has come under increasing pressure from all sides of the political spectrum for his handling of the expenses crisis which has gripped Parliament and led to growing public anger.

The Commons authorities, led by the Speaker, blocked several requests in recent years to have expenses details released under Freedom of Information laws.

And Mr Martin angered many members of Parliament by criticising MPs who questioned his decision to ask the police to investigate the leaking of expense details to the Daily Telegraph, which has been publishing them for more than a week.

TEXT OF MR CARSWELL'S MOTION That this House has no confidence in Mr Speaker and calls for him to step down; notes that Mr Speaker has failed to provide leadership in matters relating to honourable members' expenses; believes that a new Speaker urgently needs to be elected by secret ballot, free from manipulation by party whips and believes that a new Speaker should proceed to reform the House in such a way as to make it an effective legislature once again Q&A: Speaker under pressure More MPs under expenses scrutiny Profile: Michael Martin

The Speaker's authority was undermined on Sunday when Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg called for him to step down - the only party leader to comment on the Speaker's position.

Describing Mr Martin as a "dogged defender of the status quo", Mr Clegg said he should make way as he was not the "right man" to lead much-needed reform of Parliament.

Senior Lib Dem colleagues Chris Huhne and Vince Cable have also called on Mr Martin to step aside, the latter saying he had "not been willing to lead a clean-up" of Parliament.

Conservative MP Douglas Carswell is to table a motion of no confidence in the Speaker on Monday and says he has half a dozen signatures, including those of senior Conservative David Davis as well as a number of Labour and Lib Dem MPs.

The motion states that the Speaker has "failed to provide leadership" over the expenses scandal, has lost the confidence of the House of Commons and should step down. It goes on to say that a successor should be chosen by a secret ballot of MPs.

Under parliamentary rules, the Speaker can either ignore the motion or ask for it to be debated in government time.

For MPs to openly criticise the Speaker breaks a long-standing Commons convention, while the last time a Speaker was forced from office was in 1695 - when Sir John Trevor was found guilty by the House of "a high crime and misdemeanour".

Taking soundings

Sir Stuart Bell, an ally of the Speaker, said Mr Martin had taken soundings on the issue and he believed he would make it clear that he intends to stay on until the end of the Parliament.

In an effort to end the row over his future, it is also expected he will say he will step down from the post at the next general election, due by June 2010 at the latest.

Those calling for Mr Martin - who was elected by MPs in 2000 - to go now did not reflect the majority of opinion in the Commons, Sir Stuart told the BBC.

Conservative MP Douglas Carswell: 'Change has to start with a new speaker'

"Not since 1690 has a Speaker been forced to resign," he said. "I cannot believe for a moment that this House of Commons will take such a step."

Other MPs have expressed concern that the Speaker may become a scapegoat for Parliament's collective failings, with Labour backbencher Stephen Pound warning against making him a "blood sacrifice".

Any move to unseat the Speaker would have to be supported by the Conservatives and there are doubts they are willing to do this less than a year before the next election.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague has said the situation had reached "crisis point" and needed to be resolved immediately.

However, he said the issue was a matter for MPs and neither the government, nor the official opposition, should try to force Parliament's hand.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said it is up to MPs to make up their own minds about the issue and the government could not be seen to be "bullying" Parliament.