** Whilst thousands of British citizens put their own lives and safety on the line everyday for our country and while thousands selfishly tend to services that serve special sectors in our community such as Fireman, Nurses, Paramedics and the police. A cleaner to a greedy and corrupt man is given an M.B.E for services to him, not Britain, not the public, but just Mr Martin and his family.
Obviously lying to help the Martins get out of a situation where his wife's spending spree bill landing on the pocket of UK tax payers, which had landed them in hot water, had a good deal to do with this. Mr Martin, speaker of the house should be thrown out of his job. The guy has been caught with his hands in the publics tax purse too many times. No he should not be asked to step down, he should be thrown out and arrested by the police for fraud**
Clive
By Brendan Carlin
Last updated at 11:20 PM on 14th June 2008
Commons Speaker Michael Martin came under fresh fire last night after his cleaner – who was involved in a row over his wife's taxi expenses – was given an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
Gloria Hawkes, 64, a friend of Mary Martin, was caught up in the controversy earlier this year over a £4,139 taxi bill run up by Mrs Martin.
Mrs Hawkes's discretion and loyalty were singled out in an official citation accompanying the announcement of her honour for community service yesterday.
But the expenses row led to the resignation of the Speaker's spokesman Mike Granatt after he admitted he had misled The Mail on Sunday over the shopping trips.
He said the Speaker's office had failed to let him know the person accompanying Mrs Martin was not an 'official' – as originally claimed – but Mrs Hawkes.
Commons standards watchdogs have since cleared Mr Martin of misuse of public funds even though Mr Granatt was forced to clarify the trips were not to buy food for official receptions – but for informal occasions.
But yesterday Tory MP Douglas Carswell, who has already called on the Speaker to step down, asked: 'Why should his cleaner get an award when someone else who has made a contribution over many years to a community hospital or in some other area of public service may not?
'The Queen's honours system is meant to acknowledge the contribution people make to their cities and our country. It is not to be used by those presiding over a 19th Century club called Parliament to look after their own interests. Who recommended her?'
The extraordinarily glowing citation, which appeared to have been drawn up with the help of Mr and Mrs Martin, says the cleaner is 'utterly discreet'.
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