Speaker delays plan for early declaration of MPs' spouses

Michael Martin faced down a plan for MPs to declare their spouses in the Register of Members of Interests, the Evening Standard is reporting.

Last week plans by Sir George Young (a contender to replace Martin) emerged for an eleventh column for listing relatives enforced by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. These have been defeated because "pressure has been put on the Standards and Privileges Committee to shelve the proposal so as not to upstage the Speaker's own report, due later this year."

So much for MPs feeling much urgent pressure to reform.