History Thing 003 - Common Reluctance

[queerlyobscure]

If you follow the politics of a Commonwealth country (and I can understand why you wouldn't, even living in one), you might be aware of a strange tradition that involves dragging the Speaker of the House of Commons (otherwise known as the House of Representatives in the land of Oz) to their chair when they're elected (which happens at the beginning

Comments

[denorios]

Wow. I've only been English for, oh hey my entire life, and I did not know we did this!

[queerlyobscure]

Funny the things you never realise, eh? I would never have known myself if not for a TV game show question!

[roh_wyn]

Well, there's something I didn't know. The modern version must seem particularly strange in view of the back room jockeying that goes on to decide who the speaker will be. (Maybe not in he UK, with the whole non-partisan speaker issue they have).

[queerlyobscure]

I don't know how competitive a job it tends to be, but I can't imagine anyone refusing to do it any more. I personally find the whole concept of a speaker hilariously passive-aggressive, but I wouldn't kick too hard if I was dragged up there, either.

[sabriel75]

Well then, I say there should be a dragging of the person away if the people decide he/she's no good. (Should I even bother saying she... has there ever been a she?) Personally as an American, I'm all for the dragging of a good man/woman into politics because there are so FEW GOOD ones left.

Hmmm... and is this where I should throw in my two cents worth about how we've turned a tradition of meekness and humility into a splashy display of self-promotion? Oh my cynicism knows no bounds... at least I've not discussed the merits of executions (which there are none, to clarify my stance). :P

[queerlyobscure]

I can guarantee you that we've had a female speaker here (more than one, in fact), but I'm not sure how the UK/Canada are faring in terms of gender balance.

I find it interesting how much the tradition has changed - and indeed, that's it's stuck for so long - given that, as you imply, it's really not necessary to be dragged any more. Not even a little.

[katyscarlett76]

We've had one female speaker so far, the marvellous Betty Boothroyd from 1992 to 2000. But, given the long damn history, one really isn't exactly a great gender balance, lol!

[queerlyobscure]

Not exactly a balance, no. But you beat us to a female Prime Minister by a long way!

[_grayswandir_]

I definitely was not aware this was a thing! And maybe I'm weird, but -- I think it's kind of neat that you still get rituals like this, even in modern political settings.

[queerlyobscure]

I love quirky little things like this, especially when they date back this far and fail to change along the way. Did you know that the one building the Queen (or King, if there's one around) isn't allowed to enter in any commonwealth nation is the House of Commons? Because she's not a commoner. I also find that endearingly eccentric in an age where the idea is purely symbolic.

[ctquill]

I'd never heard of this, but it sounds brilliantly ridiculous. I love finding out what's behind rituals that have outlived their causes.

[queerlyobscure]

It is brilliantly ridiculous, isn't it? I can imagine those first few speakers literally kicking and screaming on the way there and then... just accepting it once they sit in the chair? How strange. Stranger still that it's still a thing when executing them would be illegal.