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PoliticsHome Polls

PoliticsHome Polls

Public opinion today

Thursday 2nd July 2009 | 12:53

Public oppose Michael Martin peerage

Over two thirds of voters believe that outgoing Speaker Michael Martin should not have been awarded a peerage

There is strong public opposition to the decision to award Michael Martin a peerage with more than 70% of voters saying he should not have been given a seat in the Lords, according to a new poll published by PoliticsHome today.

It is a custom that Speakers are elevated to the House of Lords on their retirement, and no exception has been made for Speaker Martin. The appointment was confirmed by the Queen yesterday.

The vetting panel for the House of Lords took the unusual step of writing to Downing Street and warning of the dangers of awarding Michael Martin a peerage. The argument has been that after his much-criticised handling of the expenses scandal and his subsequent resignation, he could damage the reputation of the Upper House.

Seventy two percent of voters, even after being reminded that every outgoing Speaker has been made a Lord, say they do not think Michael Martin should have been awarded his peerage.

This view is held by supporters of every political party, including nonaligned voters.  Conservative supporters in particular had a very strong opposition to the appointment.

A mere nineteen percent, consisting mainly of Labour suppporters, said he should have been awarded the peerage.

Michael Martin, the former House of Commons Speaker, is set to join the House of Lords after standing down. There is a custom that all former Commons Speakers become Lords, but an independent commission has written to Gordon Brown warning that Michael Martin’s conduct in office – where he was blamed for failing to prevent the expenses crisis –could damage the reputation of the House of Lords. Do you think Michael Martin should or should not have been awarded a peerage?

PoliticsHome interviewed 1219 adults by email between 1-2 July 2009.  Results are weighted by party ID to reflect the UK at large. 

Leave a comment...

Bardirect

It is not customary to give a peerage to Speakers who have had to stand down. Tha custom is that they do not.

Sir John Trevor who stood down in 1695 did not get one!

Barry

We should be seen rewarding abject failure, but that was not all Martin was guilty of.

Only under Labour is it possible to get a Peerage which they would abolish given the chance!

But why reward dereliction of duty as in Martins case?

Even under a Lbour Government led Brown that surely is an outrage too far?

 

 

 

Leslie

Martin's elevation to the Lords is a clear indication of Gordon Brown being forced to pander to the wishes of the Labour Tribe of back bench MPs at Westminster who refuse point blank to see anything wrong with Martin's conduct or abilities.  Again, Public Opinion is disrespected and ignored.

Cynosarges

"t is a custom that Speakers are elevated to the House of Lords on their retirement"

There was also a custom that speakers should alternate between parties.  Why should Labour scrap one, but not the other?

Irene

I have just written a letter of complaint regarding  Martin's peerage - I won't hold my breath for a response

derek emery

Is the public's view of any importance at all? Surely politicians operate in their own closed world and the public view is totally irrelevant.

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