Of Hansard and of maces
Pity the Hansard scribes who had to record and commit John McDonnell’s mace-laden protest against the lack of a substantive vote on the Heathrow expansion. Unable to bring themselves to actually describe what happened, they’ve plumped for
Mr Hoon: [...] Necessarily, when judgments have to be made about the interests of the country, those decisions have to be made, however difficult they are— [ Interruption. ]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. [Interruption.] The hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) must— [Interruption.]
John McDonnell , Member for Hayes and Harlington , having conducted himself in a grossly disorderly manner, was named by the Deputy Speaker.
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 44), That John McDonnell be suspended from the service of the House.— ( Ian Lucas .)
A Division was called, but no Members being appointed Tellers for the Noes, the Deputy Speaker declared that the Ayes had it.
Question accordingly agreed to.
Ordered, That John McDonnell be suspended from the service of the House.
It would not surprise me if the one-line summary of John McDonnell’s obituary is something along the lines of ‘one of the few leftwingers elected in the Blair landslide of 1997 who was suspended from the Commons for handling the mace’. I fear that handling a bauble will be remembered more than his principled stand.
It would seem that the Commons authorities are not happy with the television channels for broadcasting John McDonnell’s protest – apparently, they’re not meant to show ‘disturbances’ – so it may be that Hansard’s record of the event is remembered. Or not.
xD.
