NationStates Jolt Archive

I have been watching the house of commons for a while now, following the gomery inquiry, watching the vote of no confidence, and I don't like what I am seeing. Alot of these MPs, in my opinion, have been acting quite immature. I've seen members throwing papers around the room, I've seen yelling and insulting. I think that the house is a total mess and that most of these MPs need to act a bit more mature. Anyone else have opinions on this?

I have been watching the house of commons for a while now, following the gomery inquiry, watching the vote of no confidence, and I don't like what I am seeing. Alot of these MPs, in my opinion, have been acting quite immature. I've seen members throwing papers around the room, I've seen yelling and insulting. I think that the house is a total mess and that most of these MPs need to act a bit more mature. Anyone else have opinions on this?
It is kind of sad really. A member will rise and say something like "my question is for the honourable member opposite" and then proceed to do his/her level best to trash the "honourable" member. It is a bit of a farce and I do wish that there could be more decorum in the House.

The problem is, put 4 dogs that hate each other in a cage, and they'll try to bite each other. Unfortunately, this circus started long before the Gommery inquiry... I guess it's been around before I was born. There's alot of yelling because of the accoustic. When you want to be heard, you have to talk louder, because there are small whispers in the room, and there's no microphone in the real House of commons. What happens in the National Assembly is not really what people should check up... It usually is a big series of lowblows between the opposition and the government.

It has nothing to do with the MPs.

Sadly, it's the culture that's actually promoted up at the House of Commons.

Think about it, all the real debate and messing around with policy is actually done in the back rooms, it's not like they're going to make any changes to policy or legislation right there on the floor of the House. Hell, the lawyers would have a fit and the Supreme Court would likely kill more than half the bills anyway. After all, being elected doesn't equate to being knowledgable in.. well.. anything.

Combine this with party politics and the notion of the party whip, where all the votes are known before they're ever cast, regardless of the merits of the piece of legislation being debated and you realize that all the HoC is is a dog & pony show, originally put in place before the television networks existed and designed to serve the same purpose -- keep the rabble entertained.

After all, there's a reason it looks like a bad episode of Survivor. Where do you think Burnett got his idea from in the first place?

Ah think they should wrassle.

I have been watching the house of commons for a while now, following the gomery inquiry, watching the vote of no confidence, and I don't like what I am seeing. Alot of these MPs, in my opinion, have been acting quite immature. I've seen members throwing papers around the room, I've seen yelling and insulting. I think that the house is a total mess and that most of these MPs need to act a bit more mature. Anyone else have opinions on this?
Welcome to the House of Commons. :)

They have been getting a more "childish" of late, especially compared to behaviour a couple of years back... basically they get away with whatever the House tolerates - a Speaker determined to enforce decorum can seriously reign them in... while one that lets decorum slide...

MPs have ALWAYS acted immaturely. Hell, John A MacDonald used to filibuster for whole days, fueled by gin. These idiots are there for the show. It's one big soap opera for them.

what are you guys on about?

the westminster system encourages childishness on the benches, its been that way since the inception of parliament itself and its not going to change any time soon. its an important quality of a healthy democracy, the opposition needs to have as little respect for the government as possible.

what are you guys on about?

the westminster system encourages childishness on the benches, its been that way since the inception of parliament itself and its not going to change any time soon. its an important quality of a healthy democracy, the opposition needs to have as little respect for the government as possible.

I don't think that throwing papers and insults around is part of a healthy democracy. What help does it do when the opposition falsely accuses the government of having ties to the mafia with no evidence whatsoever?