§ Mr. Tony Marlow (Northampton, North)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, you said to the House that hon. Members should wear jackets and ties. When the hon. Member for the revolutionary tendency and Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) asked his question today, he was not wearing a jacket or a tie. Of course, he had marked question No. 3 on the Order Paper. Do you have any discretion as to whether to call a right hon. or hon. Member who has a question on the Order Paper?
§ Mr. SpeakerI have no discretion if an hon. Member has a question on the Order Paper. I must call it if he is here.
§ Ms. Clare Short (Birmingham Ladywood)Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am very disturbed by this series of points of order about the clothes people wear. We are not in school. This place might imitate a public school, but it should not. We are accountable to our constituents and to the public, and we should be responsible for our own clothing. People can then make judgments about us. It should not be for you, Mr. Speaker, to enforce the wearing of the sort of uniform that some people in the House expect us to wear. It is ridiculous.
§ Mr. SpeakerI rather agree with the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short). In reply to the numerous points of order raised on this matter I have said that, since this Chamber is air-conditioned, my concern is for the health of hon. Members. If hon. Members come in without jackets, they are quite likely to get a cold. I had a bad cold last week.
-
c355
- STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS &c. 85 words