Reply To: More on Brexit
Watching the debates in Parliament (as you can on the BBC Parliament channel), it is striking how much of the procedure is similar in many respects ours, e.g. on motions and amendments to them, with an original motion if amended becoming the new “main” motion (what we call the “substantive” resolution — actually “main” is clearer).
There are differences of course, in particular that it is not the chairperson of our conferences who decides what motions are voted on (that’s decided by a standing orders committee) as the Speaker does and “points of order” which are not really points of order, i.e. of procedure, are not tolerated. Our procedures were borrowed from those of smallish craft unions rather than Parliament but Parliament’s are more or less democratic.
There is even provision in our procedures for the meeting to overrule the chairperson. Clause 16 of our Conference Standing Orders reads:
… the ruling of the Chair shall be binding, unless challenged by one of the following Resolutions; ‘That Comrade X leave the chair” or “That the Chair is directed to rule that …”
If I understood what the pundits were saying last night Parliamentary procedures also provide for MPs to move a Vote of Direction to the Speaker. Whether or not this will be used to overcome “Bercow’s Bombshell” remains to be seen. I doubt, though, that anyone will move “That Comrade Bercow leave the chair”