Great Britain. Parliament; Great Britain. Parliament -- History; Representative government and representation
Save when the House is in Committee, a member or peer is not allowed
to speak twice upon the same question, unless on a point of order, or
to explain some unintelligible portion of a first speech. If, however,
he has moved a substantive motion, he has a right of reply at the end
of the debate. Once when Lord North was speaking, a dog ran barking
into the House. "Mr. Speaker," said the Prime Minister, "I am
interrupted by a new member!" The dog was eventually driven out with
some difficulty, but shortly afterwards re-entered by another door,
when it began barking as loudly as ever. Lord North remarked dryly
that the new member had spoken once already, and was consequently
violating the rules of the House.[246]
[246] Harford's "Recollections of Wilberforce," p. 93. An exception to
this rule was made on November 4, 1909, when, in accordance with the
general wish of the House, the Speaker permitted the Prime Minister
and the Leader of the Opposition to speak, although both had already
joined in the debate on the previous night.
In the House of Lords peers speak of one another by name, but in the
Commons it is the custom to refer to colleagues by their
constituencies, as "the Honourable (or Right Hon.) gentleman, the
member for Hull (or West Birmingham, etc.)." The title "honourable" is
always used in conjunction with a member's name, but should be
reinforced by the epithet "gallant" or "learned" in the case of a
naval (or military) member, or of a lawyer.[247]
[247] Sir Wilfred Lawson was once sarcastically referred to as "the
honourable and amusing baronet" (See "Men and Manners," p. 152.)
It was not until after the Reform Act of 1832 that the practice of
referring to members by their constituencies came into fashion. In
Stuart days it was not customary to mention either the names or the
constituencies of members. They were simply referred to as "the
gentleman on the other side of the way," "the member that last spake,"
etc. Nowadays it is usual to talk of a member, if on the same side of
the House, as "my honourable friend"; and if on the opposite side, as
"the honourable gentleman (or member)." But opponents sometimes
publicly include one another within the sacred circle of honourable
friendship, though politically they may be the bitterest enemies.
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