Brown defends commons speaker

By Tim Castle

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Gordon Brown and senior politicians rallied round House of Commons Speaker Michael Martin on Monday after he was criticised over his use of parliamentary allowances.

"As far as his work as speaker is concerned, I think most people know that Michael Martin has been and is a very very good speaker," Brown told Five News in an interview.

"He obviously brings a huge amount of experience from things that he's done earlier in his life to the job, and I think there's enormous respect for what he's achieved as speaker."

Martin, a former metal worker and union official, said he would not step aside.

"This House has charged me with a responsibility and I will carry out that duty until this House decides otherwise -- and that is a good thing for the reputation of this House," he said in parliament.

Newspapers and political commentators said Martin should be beyond reproach and should go, after a weekend of negative headlines following the resignation of his press spokesman.

Mike Grannatt said he had quit because he had been misled over 4,000 pounds of taxi expenses run up by Martin's wife.

Grannatt had briefed reporters that a Commons official had accompanied Mrs Martin on all the trips while shopping for receptions and banquets, but he resigned after it emerged that this had not always been the case.