He presided over a period which saw parliament develop a culture of corruption. Not just the universal tendency of politicians the world over to travel on a taxpayer funded gravy train.  He himself was compromised by being one of the most outrageous examples of personal enrichment at the public’s expense while pretending to be a public servant.

He also repeatedly failed in his duty to defend the rights of parliament against the power of the executive. He should not be allowed to retire with the dignity of a peerage, he has disgraced the office of Speaker.