Speaker’s wife dropped from Palace guest list

Not only is Michael Martin, the beleaguered House of Commons Speaker, under fire for his role (or non role) in the Damian Green affair – the BBC claims that more than 30 MPs no longer had confidence in his ability to perform his duties – but now his wife has gone and upset the Queen.

According to the Mail on Sunday, HMQ has taken the unprecedented step of striking Mary Martin (pictured), the daughter of a Glasgow steel smelter, off the Buckingham Palace invitation list, a decision that was made after she failed to turn up for no less than nine State banquets.

The Mail's source said: "At first, when Mrs Martin declined invitations to State banquets, no one could work out why. Eventually, it was made clear that Mrs Martin would rather not attend. No explanation was given, though there were some suggestions that she is not a great fan of the Monarchy. It came to the point where it was agreed that in future the invitations would go to Mr Martin but not Mrs Martin. It is most unusual, but it is convenient to both sides."

The Speaker's wife is no stranger to controversy. Earlier this year she was criticised for spending more than £4,000 of taxpayers' money on shopping trips and £50,000 on air travel. When she grandly insisted on being waved through Commons security without being searched, a policeman was reported as saying: "We wave the Queen through, but Mrs Speaker isn't the Queen."