03 December, 2008

UK: Speaker and Serjeant

The Speaker, Michael Martin, seems to have dropped the Serjeant at arms, Jill Pay, into the doodoo. He says he was informed by her that Damien Green's office was going to be searched, but only that. Questions still surround Mr Martin as to whether he raised a complaint or even showed any interest at the news but the spotlight will be on Mrs Pay. It would appear that she did not ask the police if they had a warrant (they didn't) but let them in anyway.

It will be remembered that the office of Serjeant at arms is in the gift of the Queen and has gone traditionally to a senior military officer. Martin got rid of the last one (Major General Peter Grant Peterkin) and appointed Mrs Pay.

Her Majesty was said to be outraged and refused to receive Mrs Pay, but I am afraid it is yet another example of her abrogating her powers, not to the people, but to the executive.

Pay's previous job was deputy director of the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative at the Department of Employment, and if that doesn't have a New Labour flavour to it I don't know what does.

I have written before about New Labour's ability to get their own people into senior positions in all walks of life (Andrew Marr is a prime example at the BBC). I am afraid MPs are going to have to ask themselves (pointless asking her) if she would have acted in this way if it had been a Labour MP under arrest.

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