 | 'Martin's resignation comes in the wake of the scandal over MPs' expenses scandal. He will step down as Speaker and an MP on 21 June. In July the SNP took the Glasgow East seat by just 365 votes, overturning a Labour majority of 13,507 to win with a swing of 22.54 per cent but in the more recent Glenrothes by-election, a strong SNP challenge was seen off by Labour. ' Public Servant Scotland, 20 th May 2009. |  |
As House of Commons speaker Michael Martin resigned political parties in Scotland were preparing for another by-election.
Martin's Glasgow north east seat is traditionally a safe Labour seat but the parties are facing for a tough fight.
Martin's resignation comes in the wake of the scandal over MPs' expenses scandal. He will step down as Speaker and an MP on 21 June.
In July the SNP took the Glasgow East seat by just 365 votes, overturning a Labour majority of 13,507 to win with a swing of 22.54 per cent but in the more recent Glenrothes by-election, a strong SNP challenge was seen off by Labour.
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has called for an early general election in the wake of Martin's announcement, calling on Westminster to follow Scotland's lead in expenses rules while MPs' expenses claims are audited.
Salmond, also an MP, said: "There should be a general election because it's not a question of people just having no confidence in the speaker - it's a question of people having no confidence in the Westminster system.
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