MPs are to debate wide-ranging changes to their expenses regime, which will sweep away what Gordon Brown has called "centuries of history" for parliament. Commons Speaker Michael Martin, who has announced his resignation over the expenses row, has put forward emergency proposals aimed at stopping abuses. The measures - agreed to by party leaders - include a £1,250-a-month cap on rent and mortgage interest payments. They would also ban second homes claims for furniture, cleaning and stamp duty. Additionally, MPs will not be allowed to "flip" the designation of their second home during 2009/10. Mr Martin said all parties were now committed to accepting the recommendations from Sir Christopher Kelly's Committee on Standards in Public Life, provided they met certain tests. Other measures announced by the Speaker included: • MPs who are couples will be obliged to nominate the same main home and will only be able to claim one person's accommodation allowance between them • All claims will be published quarterly online • Members will have to be "completely open" with the tax authorities about whether properties are second homes and liable to capital gains tax • With regards to accommodation, only rent, hotel bills, overnight subsistence, mortgage interest, council tax, utility charges and insurance will be allowed • Mortgage claims must be accurate, for interest only and on continuing loans • A clear test of "reasonableness" will be applied to all claims by the Department of Resources in an effort to "tighten up" allowances • Claims which are the subject of any doubts will be refused with no opportunity of appeal The announcement came just hours after Mr Martin told MPs he intended to stand down, so becoming the first Commons Speaker to be effectively forced out of office for 300 years. In a brief statement, he said he would resign on 21 June, with a successor set to be elected by MPs the next day. Mr Martin will also step down as an MP, prompting a by-election in his constituency of Glasgow North East. 'Gentleman's club' Earlier, Mr Brown told a press conference that Westminster could not continue to "operate like some gentlemen's club" in which MPs were "judge and jury" of "pay and rations". He has described cabinet minister Hazel Blears' expenses claim as "totally unacceptable behaviour", after she failed to pay capital gains tax on the sale of one of her homes. The prime minister said the communities secretary had accepted it was wrong and paid back the money she had saved. The BBC's Iain Watson said Mr Brown's comments were, pointedly, far from supportive. However, she has received support from her constituency. A statement issued on behalf of the secretary, chairman and treasurer of Salford and Eccles Constituency Labour Party said: "Hazel Blears will be our Labour candidate at the next General Election. We have full confidence in her." Tory leader David Cameron said changing the rules and forcing MPs to pay back wrongfully-claimed expenses was not enough. "What people really want is the chance to go out and put their cross in a box for the politicians they want to represent them in this parliament," he said. "That's why we say let's have a general election." Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg welcomed the changes, but said the public was looking at Westminster with "disgust and with dismay". He added: "The days of MPs being judge and jury of their own pay, judge and jury of their own expenses, are over." Source: BBC