Apologies to the House… (funnies)

Thursday, February 04, 2010

(Humour interlude)

If you've not read the "Apologies to the House of Commons since 1979" (latest version), there's some light relief there.

Amongst the serious stuff like apologising for claiming for expenses they shouldn't have (why only a few apologies there??), and failing to declare interests they should have, there are funny things like:

apologising for not saying sorry (01/02/2006 Stephen Byers)
using "unParliamentary" or "improper" words to describe others (07/03/2002 George Galloway, 28/06/2000 Peter Lilley, 16/03/2000 James Gray & lots more!)

My favourites:

01/03/1982 Nicholas Edwards Suggested during a debate that another Member had been drinking
07/02/1984 Peter Snape Remarks made about British Rail Southern Region commuters
07/05/1985 Dafydd Wigley Damaging the Speaker's Chair during exchanges at the end of a debate
19/04/1988 Ron Brown Throwing the ceremonial mace to the floor.

Heated debates, much? Did you know that in the House the line which members aren't allowed to physically cross was drawn so that the other side would be at least a sword's length away from it? (see Wikipedia on "toe the line").

Interestingly, there haven't been many MP apologies lately. Presumably because they think they have no reason to.