Parliamentary Customs
SIR—Members of the House of Commons have recently canvassed the time-honoured custom of wearing headgear when raising points of order duripg a division. There is, however, a much more fundamental custom of the Houser the disregard of which has more serious implications. It appears to be becoming the practice on the Opposition side of the House to invite a few prominent back-benchers to address the House from the frodt bench and then return to their seats. This practice contravenes the basic custom which differentiates the House of Commons from foreign assemblies—namely, that a Member " rises in his place" and does not go to a rostrum to address the House.
The Labour Party, when in Opposition, called several Members, who had not held ministerial rank, to their' front bench, but they remained sitting there. In a debating chamber the limelight should play all over the House and not on the front benches only.—I am, yours &c.,
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