Liberal MP backs away from deputy speaker deal Updated 31 minutes ago
Alex Somlyay: 'I am no longer interested in the position'. (ABC News: Jeremy Thompson)
Labor said Alex Somlyay had agreed to become deputy speaker and would not act to bring down the Federal Government.
But in a statement, Mr Somlyay now says he is not interested in the position because of all the attention, and he did not want to do anything contrary to his Liberal National Party membership.
"I was interested in the deputy speakership as a way of helping to implement parliamentary reform," he said.
"Now that the vote of the deputy speaker has become the focus of attention, I am no longer interested in the position.
"It was never my intention to act in a way contrary to my membership of the Liberal National Party and I never have."
Tags: government-and-politics, federal-government, parliament, federal-parliament, australia
First posted 1 hour 4 minutes ago http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/25/3021847.htm?section=justin
