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Mary Martin the Speaker's wife is a thief

By John Hirst

Mary Martin the Speaker's wife is a thief

Last night on the BBC 1 10pm news, it was reported that the Parliamentary Commissioner of Standards is to investigate Michael Martin, the speaker of the House of Commons, over why his wife, Mary Martin, spent £4,280 of the taxpayers money on taxis to do her personal shopping.

The BBC reporter interviewed some bloke who said the whole thing was ridiculous and that Mary Martin should not have to queue up like everybody else to get on the number 62 bus, and that she should be treated with deference.

I walk to do my shopping. If I was to get a bus to visit the Tesco super store, half an hour's walk away from my house, the cost of the bus fare would negate any reductions on prices in the store.

It beggars belief that Mary Martin is allowed to spend over £80 per week of taxpayers money on taxi fares to do her personal shopping. She is a thief. I do not believe that such a woman should be treated with deference. Given that the government is taking a tough line on benefit fraud, and states that there are no ifs, no buts, then the same principle should be applied to MPs expenses claims.

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on April 02, 2008 (boomark / email).