Pressure grows on UK Commons Speaker in perks row

UK: The leader of Britain's third main party on Sunday called for the House of Commons' Speaker to step down and said parliament may need to be dissolved in the wake of an expenses scandal that has shaken its reputation.

The highly unusual attack on the Speaker, Michael Martin, by a party leader underlined the pressures on British politicians to try to rebuild public trust after 10 days of damaging media disclosures about extravagant expenses claims by members of parliament.

Newspapers said Queen Elizabeth had expressed concern to Prime Minister Gordon Brown over the disclosures, which have angered Britons at a time of recession when thousands are losing their homes and unemployment is rising sharply.

Pressure is mounting on Martin over his handling of the scandal.

London, Monday, Reuters