The Government of England (Vol. I)Lowell, A. Lawrence (Abbott Lawrence)
History
The Government of England (Vol. I)
Lowell, A. Lawrence (Abbott Lawrence)
Great Britain -- Politics and government
Before describing the organisation and procedure of the House it may be
well to explain the method of voting, because frequent reference must be
made to it, and the terms are technical. After stating the question to
be voted upon, the Speaker, or the Chairman, calls in the ordinary way
for the ayes and noes. According to the apparent preponderance of voices
he then says, "I think the ayes (or noes) have it." If no objection is
raised, he adds a moment later, "The ayes (or noes) have it," and the
vote is so recorded. If, on the other hand, any of the minority doubt
the result, or wish the numbers and names recorded, they cry out
contrary to the Speaker, "The noes (or ayes) have it." Whereupon the
Speaker directs strangers to withdraw (except from the places reserved
for them), the division bells are rung all over the building, the
two-minute sand-glass is turned, and when it has run the doors are
locked, and the question and vote are repeated in the same way.[253:1]
If the Speaker's opinion of the result is again challenged--and this is
almost always done--he orders a division of the House, that is, he
directs the ayes to go to the right, the noes to the left; and he
appoints two tellers from each side, one of each pair to count the ayes,
and the other the noes, in order to check one another. The ayes then go
into the lobby that runs parallel to the House on the Speaker's right,
the noes into that on his left; and until 1906 every member in the
House, except the Speaker, was obliged to go into one lobby or the
other, unless he was physically disabled, when his vote might be counted
in the House.[253:2] The tellers, standing at the door of each lobby,
count the members as they pass between them in returning to the House,
while clerks at tables in the lobbies take down their names.
Ever since 1836, when the method of taking a division assumed its
present form, the names of members voting on each side have been printed
and preserved, although curiously enough these division lists are not
included among the parliamentary papers. The process may seem a clumsy
way of counting votes, but under the system in force until 1906 it took,
on the average, only twenty minutes, and under the new system, whereby
the recording of names begins when the sand-glass is turned, it takes
not much more than half as long. This is less time than would be
consumed by a roll-call, and the system has been found so satisfactory
that it was adopted by the House of Lords.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account