Martin, Michael John (1945– )

British Labour politician, who became speaker of the House of Commons in October 2000, replacing Betty Boothroyd. Martin was a trade union official and a Glasgow councillor 1973–75, before being elected to the House of Commons for the Glasgow Springburn constituency in May 1979. He served as the aide to Labour's deputy leader Denis Healey 1980–83, and was deputy speaker from 1997. In the 2005 general election, he won the new constituency of Glasgow North East.

Martin left school to become a metalworker at Rolls Royce until 1976 and then a trade union official. He was not believed to have been the candidate for speaker favoured by Labour's prime minister Tony Blair, who considered that, in line with convention, the speaker should alternate between the two main parties.