Speaker John Bercow addressed the not-so-urgent question of male MPs wearing ties in the Commons
MPs are expected to dress in “businesslike attire”.
The House of Commons may have been in the midst of a Queen’s Speech debate but there was still time to cover one pressing question: should male MPs wear a tie in the Commons chamber?
Tory backbencher Peter Bone remarked that Lib Dem MP Tom Brake had asked a question in the Commons on Wednesday, without a tie around his neck.
He then asked: “I have no particular view on that, but have the rules changed, sir?”
Twitter pointed out that there were bigger issues on the table.
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The Speaker, breaking tradition, said ties were not necessary.
“The general expectation is that members should dress in businesslike attire”, Bercow said.
He continued: “Am I minded not to call a member simply because he is not wearing a tie? No.
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“Members shouldn’t behave in a way that is disrespectful to their colleagues or to the institution, but do I think it’s essential that a member wears a tie? No.”
However, the traditions of Parliament state that, on occasion, the Speaker has “taken exception to informal clothing, including the non-wearing of jackets and ties by men”.
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Bercow did point out that the choice of tie was a matter of personal judgement: “Opinions on the honourable gentleman’s choice of ties do tend to vary and, it has to be said, the same can be said of my own.”
He also noted: “There is no obligation of female members not to wear ties, if they so choose”.
