LONDON, May 19 (RIA Novosti) - The speaker of the House of Commons announced on Tuesday his resignation over a scandal concerning inappropriate expense claims by British members of parliament.
Michael Martin, 63, will leave his post on June 21 and a new speaker will start work on June 22. Martin's resignation speech lasted less than a minute and consisted of only a few phrases.
Martin came under fire over his response to media reports that a number of MPs had made inappropriate expense claims. While party leaders were apologizing to their constituents, Martin insisted on an investigation on how confidential information had reached the press.
Martin confessed that the row had damaged the House's reputation and that the expenditures system was in need of reform.
The speaker of the House of Commons is a life-long appointment and incumbents usually only leave the post when they retire.
