Why Parliament’s mace is so important, and why an MP removed it from the House of Commons
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Without the mace, Parliament cannot lawfully meet, debate or pass laws.
By Serina Sandhu
In brief
- A Labour MP grabbed the mace in protest over the Government’s handling of Brexit
- The mace is a symbol of authority and removing it is deeply frowned upon
It was chaos in the House of Commons on Monday night – and not just because of tense Brexit debating.
MPs could not believe their eyes when Labour’s Lloyd Russell-Moyle grabbed the ceremonial mace in protest at the Government’s handling of Brexit.
Describing it as a ‘spur of the moment’ act, the MP for Brighton Kemptown said he was protesting because the Tories were riding ‘roughshod over the principle of parliamentary democracy’ by pulling the ‘meaningful vote’.
He carried the five-foot mace, which is a historic symbol of authority in the House of Commons, towards the doors before he was stopped by officials. The mace was then carried back to its rightful place on the table.
Shouts of ‘disgrace’ could be heard from MPs as the scanda...
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