Post by Souriquois on Dec 10, 2018 23:27:51 GMT -4
May not sound like a big deal for people in countries that don't use the Westminster system, but it's a huge deal. Not sure about the UK, but in Canada you can get a huge fine, even jail time for that.
www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/10/day-of-brexit-drama-ends-with-mp-grabbing-the-ceremonial-mace
MP causes uproar in parliament by grabbing mace in Brexit protest
Lloyd Russell-Moyle waves symbol of Queen’s authority to show anger over debate delay
Although the tradition of civic maces goes back to the 13th century, the Commons mace is believed to date back to the 17th century, with its current incarnation thought to have been made for Charles II.
As the symbol of royal authority in the house, the mace is carried every day into the Commons chamber by the serjeant at arms, who places it on the table of the house.
Labour MPs had earlier won an emergency debate on the cancellation of the Brexit vote. It is due to be heard on Tuesday and is backed by the Tory MPs Peter Bone and Sarah Wollaston.
The official feed of parliamentary proceedings, broadcast on BBC Parliament, did not show the mace being seized in common with a policy on not showing protests.
However, the footage was tweeted by a journalist in the BBC political research unit and swiftly went viral, potentially setting up a conflict with the parliamentary authorities, who fear giving airtime to such incidents can encourage MPs to take part in similar protests.
The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, was the last MP to take the mace from its place in 2009, when he was a backbencher.
McDonnell was suspended from the Commons for five days for grabbing it in protest at the government’s decision to allow a third runway at Heathrow airport.
In 1976, the then shadow industry secretary, Michael Heseltine, waved the mace at the Labour benches after his Conservative opposition lost by one vote on a bill. His shadow cabinet colleague James Prior wrested it from his hands and the Speaker suspended the sitting. Heseltine was made to apologise the next day.
Lloyd Russell-Moyle waves symbol of Queen’s authority to show anger over debate delay
Although the tradition of civic maces goes back to the 13th century, the Commons mace is believed to date back to the 17th century, with its current incarnation thought to have been made for Charles II.
As the symbol of royal authority in the house, the mace is carried every day into the Commons chamber by the serjeant at arms, who places it on the table of the house.
Labour MPs had earlier won an emergency debate on the cancellation of the Brexit vote. It is due to be heard on Tuesday and is backed by the Tory MPs Peter Bone and Sarah Wollaston.
The official feed of parliamentary proceedings, broadcast on BBC Parliament, did not show the mace being seized in common with a policy on not showing protests.
However, the footage was tweeted by a journalist in the BBC political research unit and swiftly went viral, potentially setting up a conflict with the parliamentary authorities, who fear giving airtime to such incidents can encourage MPs to take part in similar protests.
The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, was the last MP to take the mace from its place in 2009, when he was a backbencher.
McDonnell was suspended from the Commons for five days for grabbing it in protest at the government’s decision to allow a third runway at Heathrow airport.
In 1976, the then shadow industry secretary, Michael Heseltine, waved the mace at the Labour benches after his Conservative opposition lost by one vote on a bill. His shadow cabinet colleague James Prior wrested it from his hands and the Speaker suspended the sitting. Heseltine was made to apologise the next day.
www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/10/day-of-brexit-drama-ends-with-mp-grabbing-the-ceremonial-mace