Nothing to Hide, Nothing to Fear?

By Jacqui Smith's logic, if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear. Perhaps someone should tell Gorbals Mick.

Up to 20 MPs are understood to have written to Mr Martin requesting that he authorise an investigation by The Standards and Privileges Committee into the controversial police search of Mr Green's Commons office last month.

But Mr Martin refused to sign off the inquiry, which means that it cannot go ahead.

Even Labour MPs, who have overwhelmingly supported Mr Martin throughout the Green debacle, expressed surprise at his decision to block a Standards and Privileges inquiry. One minister said: "I suppose the process is entirely up to the Speaker and the Speaker has said no and he doesn't have to provide any reasons why he said no."

He must have something to hide then, eh Jacqui?