Margaret Beckett as Speaker?

The Times article that reports:

"Conservative MPs will support Margaret Beckett, the former Labour leader, over one of their own for the Speaker’s chair amid signs that the race is showing a form of inverted tribalism and party whips are playing an increasingly central role."

Also includes these extracts that explains why Margaret Beckett should not become Speaker:

"Prominent members of Gordon Brown’s whips’ office past and present, including John Spellar and Ian Austin, are organising a campaign to install Mrs Beckett as Speaker."

"On the BBC programme last month, the audience turned on the then Housing Minister for expenses claims that included £600 for hanging baskets and pot plants. She was almost drowned out by shouts of “scandal” and “Are you better than us?” after she refused to pay back a penny of her expenses to the taxpayer."

"Mrs Beckett also has a chequered history on votes on expenses. As well as the second-home claims, she voted against reforms put forward by Mr Martin last year to end the right of MPs to claim on furniture for their second homes. She abstained from votes exempting Parliament from the freedom of information requirements."

If Margaret Beckett becomes Speaker it will be a victory for Gordon Brown and the Executive, another biased Labour MP as Speaker and another reason for the public to treat MPs with disdain.

I have said for some time that the Speaker elected now must be a temporary one and that a new Speaker must be elected by the new House of Commons following a general election, assuming Gordon Brown allows the country such an election.