Michael Martin 'stitch-up' worries over BBC expenses drama

Published on Saturday 20 February 2010 19:30

FRIENDS of Michael Martin have expressed fears that the former House of Commons Speaker would be the victim of a "BBC stitch-up" when his character is recreated in a high-profile political drama this week.

Brian Cox, the Dundee-born actor, will play Martin in the BBC4 drama On Expenses, which charts the role the former Springburn MP played in the scandal that rocked British politics last year.

Media reports of the debacle have pointed the finger of blame at Martin for failing to crack down on a system that allowed MPs to milk their expenses and claim for an array of items from dirty movies to duck houses.

His friends, however, fear that his character will be assassinated further by the satirical film, which tells the story of Heather Brooke, the American journalist who campaigned relentlessly for MPs' expenses to be published under the Freedom of Information Act.

Cox has said that he sympathises with Martin's position as a working-class Glaswegian who worked his way to the top of British politics only to find himself caught up in the biggest political scandal for generations.

Cox claimed that Martin had been made a scapegoat for the scandal.

Martin's close political friend Lord Foulkes of Cumnock agreed with Cox's view that the former Speaker was forced to shoulder much of the blame for MPs' excesses.

"The problem is, however, that Brian Cox may be more sympathetic than the programme itself," Foulkes said.

"That's the worry. It sounds to me as if it will be a bit of a stitch-up.

"He did his best to try to get the system changed and the people who became his critics later tried to stop him when he tried to make those changes."

In contrast to Foulkes' opinion, Martin was widely seen as an obstacle to expenses reform, because he chaired the House of Commons commission, the body in charge of Commons administration.

When campaigners tried to obtain information about MPs' expenses under freedom of information legislation, the commission fought the case at every stage – even going to the high court at considerable lexpense when many lawyers said the case was hopeless.

&#149 On Expenses is on BBC4, 9pm, Tuesday.