The Speaker

The Chairman of the House of Commons is called a Speaker. He is not a Minister and has no voice in the deliberations of Ministers. The throning and selection of a Speaker for the House of Commons is another tradition. The first duty of the House of Commons is to elect one of its members to be the Speaker. He may belong to any party, but on election becomes non-party. He is elected by common consent of all parties and is dragged from the floor of the House forcibly by two MPs. He feigns a great show of resistance. This ceremony dates back to the period before the "Bourgeois Revolution", when the Speaker, as spokesman of the Commons, had the unpleasant task of presenting its demands to the King. His position was precarious and he was often thrown into the Tower for it, or lost his head.

In spite of his title the Speaker speaks very little. However, the tradition of "catching the Speaker's eye" before the MP can speak, gives the Speaker considerable power in limiting criticism through his choice of a 'correct' MP.

The coach in which he drives to the House on ceremonial occasions has neither brakes nor springs and is so heavy that it can only be pulled by two cart horses.

The Speaker's badge of office is the Mace, a decorated version of the iron club once carried to protect the King's person. This lies on the table in the Chamber when the House of Commons is officially in session. When the election of the Speaker is in progress, the Mace (made in 1649, the year of Charles I's execution) lies under the table. The Serjeant-at-Arms (in older times a member of the King's bodyguard), attends the Speaker and acts as bearer of the Mace. He is attired in black cloth, with knee breeches, lace bands and ruffles and a silk cocked hat with a rosette, and a sword.

The Speaker wears a horsehair wig, black silk robe, knee breeches and buckled shoes. When he rises to his feet, any member who is standing must immediately resume his seat.

DRAWN — SWORDS:

There is a space between the two sides of the House, with rows of benches on either side. In the House of Commons this space is approximately the width of two drawn swords. Formerly, the MP's when very excited, sometimes drew swords and a fight began. A rule was therefore imposed prohibiting members from crossing the space. Should an MP so much as put his foot forward he is immediately "called to order" by the Speaker and shouts of other MP's and he is obliged to apologize to the House.

BLACK ROD:

The passage between the House of Commons and the House of Lords is witness to an example of feudal pageantry when the Commons and people had to have impressed upon them their subservient position in relation to the hereditary aristocracy. The King's Messenger, a servant of the Lords, under the archaic title of Black Rod, and bearing an ornamented wand of office, makes his solemn way down the long corridor in order, after much bowing, to summon the Lower House to the august presence of the Upper. The Lords then graciously give their approval to the Speaker whom the Commons have chosen to preside over them and the elected are sent back along the corridor.

TITLES:

Members do not refer to each other by their names but as the Honourable Member, to Ministers, as the Right Honourable Gentleman, to the Queen's Counsel-lawyers appointed as advisers to the Crown, as the Honour­able and Learned.

направление «эКОНОМИКА»