A very casual day in Commons
IT WAS the day of a much-publicised clash between Scotland and England in the Uefa Women’s Euro 2017 finals.
And one proud Scottish MP chose to show her allegiance by wearing her country’s football shirt in the House of Commons.
Nationalist Hannah Bardell appeared to flout Westminster convention by revealing the blue top below a smart blazer during the Scottish Questions session.
She had worn the shirt with shorts for a fundraising sports event at Westminster earlier in the day then kept the top on. But some failed to see the fun side, with Labour MP Sarah Champion branding the outfit ‘unparliamentary’. Yesterday, House of Commons officials said ‘convention has been that for men, a jacket and tie is expected; for women the equivalent level of formality should be observed’.
Miss Bardell is thought to be the first MP to wear a football top in the Chamber during parliamentary business. Rising to speak, the MP for Livingston said: ‘I would also like to put on record my very best wishes of everyone on these benches for the Scottish football team. I’m wearing the colours, I hope you don’t mind. I use to play alongside two of Scotland’s national players at university – their careers have obviously done better at football than mine.’
But on the BBC’s Daily Politics show, Miss Champion said: ‘It is unparliamentary and this is coming from a woman who was told I have unparliamentary hair. I think there will be a quiet word.’
Traditionalists were also shocked last month when Speaker John Bercow said male MPs no longer had to wear ties.