Salter Signs Off with a Call for a Permanent Revolution  

Reading West MP Martin Salter made his final Commons speech on Wednesday 7th April 2010, the day before Parliament was prorogued for the 6th May General Election. Mr Salter thanked Reading and District Labour Party for choosing him as a candidate on no fewer than seven occasions for both the Parliamentary and Reading Borough Council seats. He was successful in six of the seven contests and leaves a notional Labour majority of nearly 5,000 in his constituency. Mr Salter made an impassioned defence of politics and politicians at a time when the reputation of Parliament is at an all time low following the MPs’ expenses scandal. Mr Salter repeated his call for radical reform of Parliament to deliver greater public engagement and respect. He also highlighted how his constituency had benefited from thirteen years of a Labour Government. “This House of Commons must remain central to...