Who’ll get the job if/when Martin goes?

With Adam Boulton on Sky News this afternoon reporting that there are suggestions that Michael Martin will hold on as Speaker until the general election and then stand down I thought a quick look at the betting might be a good idea.

As far as I can see the only bookie with a market is William Hill which currently has Sir Alan Haselhurst (one of those named in the Daily Telegraph today) as the 4/6 favourite.

Haselhurst is currently Deputy Speaker and commands a lot of respect on all sides of the house. But given the paper’s report about his claim for “£142,119 for his country home over the last seven years, despite having no mortgage to pay” I just wonder whether he’s now out of the race?

Others prices are:
6/4 Menzies Campbell
10/1 Michael Lord
16/1 Roger Gale
16/1 John Happell
20/1 Patrick Cormack
20/1 Tommy McAvoy
25/1 Richard Shepherd

The next speaker election will follow an entirely different format than before. There’ll be a secret ballot of MPs so it will be much harder for the party machines to influence the outcome.

I’ve got a lovely £100 bet that I placed months ago – Ming at 33/1.

Mike Smithson