What is the meaning of grabbing the mace in the British parliament?











up vote
22
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I gather from this tweet that grabbing the mace laying on the table of the British House of Commons is an act of protest and has some kind of significance.



What significance does this gesture have?






united-kingdom parliament







share|improve this question
























  • See also: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_mace#Houses_of_Parliament
    – Steve Melnikoff
    15 hours ago






  • 1




    LOL... checked news, expected a serious altercation with blunt weapons, was disappointed....
    – rackandboneman
    8 hours ago










  • It's called being a prima donna.
    – Valorum
    4 hours ago






  • 1




    @cat it has been edited away a few hours ago into a separate article en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_maces_in_the_United_Kingdom
    – Federico
    3 hours ago








  • 1




    @cat: Blimey; things move fast around here. :-)
    – Steve Melnikoff
    3 hours ago















up vote
22
down vote

favorite












I gather from this tweet that grabbing the mace laying on the table of the British House of Commons is an act of protest and has some kind of significance.



What significance does this gesture have?






united-kingdom parliament







share|improve this question
























  • See also: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_mace#Houses_of_Parliament
    – Steve Melnikoff
    15 hours ago






  • 1




    LOL... checked news, expected a serious altercation with blunt weapons, was disappointed....
    – rackandboneman
    8 hours ago










  • It's called being a prima donna.
    – Valorum
    4 hours ago






  • 1




    @cat it has been edited away a few hours ago into a separate article en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_maces_in_the_United_Kingdom
    – Federico
    3 hours ago








  • 1




    @cat: Blimey; things move fast around here. :-)
    – Steve Melnikoff
    3 hours ago













up vote
22
down vote

favorite









up vote
22
down vote

favorite











I gather from this tweet that grabbing the mace laying on the table of the British House of Commons is an act of protest and has some kind of significance.



What significance does this gesture have?






united-kingdom parliament







share|improve this question















I gather from this tweet that grabbing the mace laying on the table of the British House of Commons is an act of protest and has some kind of significance.



What significance does this gesture have?






united-kingdom parliament




united-kingdom parliament






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 3 hours ago









blahdiblah

1052




1052










asked 15 hours ago









Federico

3,62932448




3,62932448












  • See also: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_mace#Houses_of_Parliament
    – Steve Melnikoff
    15 hours ago






  • 1




    LOL... checked news, expected a serious altercation with blunt weapons, was disappointed....
    – rackandboneman
    8 hours ago










  • It's called being a prima donna.
    – Valorum
    4 hours ago






  • 1




    @cat it has been edited away a few hours ago into a separate article en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_maces_in_the_United_Kingdom
    – Federico
    3 hours ago








  • 1




    @cat: Blimey; things move fast around here. :-)
    – Steve Melnikoff
    3 hours ago


















  • See also: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_mace#Houses_of_Parliament
    – Steve Melnikoff
    15 hours ago






  • 1




    LOL... checked news, expected a serious altercation with blunt weapons, was disappointed....
    – rackandboneman
    8 hours ago










  • It's called being a prima donna.
    – Valorum
    4 hours ago






  • 1




    @cat it has been edited away a few hours ago into a separate article en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_maces_in_the_United_Kingdom
    – Federico
    3 hours ago








  • 1




    @cat: Blimey; things move fast around here. :-)
    – Steve Melnikoff
    3 hours ago
















See also: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_mace#Houses_of_Parliament
– Steve Melnikoff
15 hours ago




See also: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_mace#Houses_of_Parliament
– Steve Melnikoff
15 hours ago




1




1




LOL... checked news, expected a serious altercation with blunt weapons, was disappointed....
– rackandboneman
8 hours ago




LOL... checked news, expected a serious altercation with blunt weapons, was disappointed....
– rackandboneman
8 hours ago












It's called being a prima donna.
– Valorum
4 hours ago




It's called being a prima donna.
– Valorum
4 hours ago




1




1




@cat it has been edited away a few hours ago into a separate article en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_maces_in_the_United_Kingdom
– Federico
3 hours ago






@cat it has been edited away a few hours ago into a separate article en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_maces_in_the_United_Kingdom
– Federico
3 hours ago






1




1




@cat: Blimey; things move fast around here. :-)
– Steve Melnikoff
3 hours ago




@cat: Blimey; things move fast around here. :-)
– Steve Melnikoff
3 hours ago










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
25
down vote



accepted










The mace is a symbol of the Queen's Authority. Its presence in the House of Commons signifies that the House has the Queen's authority to pass laws, etc.



It is not unknown for an MP to make some kind of protest by grabbing it, but they always seem to look a bit foolish as a result, and it never accomplishes anything except for a bit of light-relief in the news headlines.



I have also known MPs that have committed some kind of parliamentary misdemeanour to be made to "apologise to the mace".



Update: asked to clarify "what does the gesture mean?"



The gesture has no defined or agreed meaning. The only meaning is whatever was in the head of the person who grabbed the mace. In the most recent case he did explain afterwards why he had done it - something about the government having lost its privilege to rule - but I think it would be a different reason every time.






share|improve this answer



















  • 5




    The ceremonial mace has been removed or damaged in protest at least five times.
    – Ambo100
    9 hours ago






  • 1




    It might be worth adding that the mace is required to be present in order for the house to conduct most of its business; hence the house cannot continue what it was doing until the mace is put back.
    – Steve Melnikoff
    3 hours ago










  • It the most recent incident, I believe the member of the Commons who tried to take it was making a statement about the delayed vote on Brexit as if to say, "We the members of the Commons are no longer determinant of what we do as far as business."
    – Karlomanio
    1 hour ago











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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
25
down vote



accepted










The mace is a symbol of the Queen's Authority. Its presence in the House of Commons signifies that the House has the Queen's authority to pass laws, etc.



It is not unknown for an MP to make some kind of protest by grabbing it, but they always seem to look a bit foolish as a result, and it never accomplishes anything except for a bit of light-relief in the news headlines.



I have also known MPs that have committed some kind of parliamentary misdemeanour to be made to "apologise to the mace".



Update: asked to clarify "what does the gesture mean?"



The gesture has no defined or agreed meaning. The only meaning is whatever was in the head of the person who grabbed the mace. In the most recent case he did explain afterwards why he had done it - something about the government having lost its privilege to rule - but I think it would be a different reason every time.






share|improve this answer



















  • 5




    The ceremonial mace has been removed or damaged in protest at least five times.
    – Ambo100
    9 hours ago






  • 1




    It might be worth adding that the mace is required to be present in order for the house to conduct most of its business; hence the house cannot continue what it was doing until the mace is put back.
    – Steve Melnikoff
    3 hours ago










  • It the most recent incident, I believe the member of the Commons who tried to take it was making a statement about the delayed vote on Brexit as if to say, "We the members of the Commons are no longer determinant of what we do as far as business."
    – Karlomanio
    1 hour ago















up vote
25
down vote



accepted










The mace is a symbol of the Queen's Authority. Its presence in the House of Commons signifies that the House has the Queen's authority to pass laws, etc.



It is not unknown for an MP to make some kind of protest by grabbing it, but they always seem to look a bit foolish as a result, and it never accomplishes anything except for a bit of light-relief in the news headlines.



I have also known MPs that have committed some kind of parliamentary misdemeanour to be made to "apologise to the mace".



Update: asked to clarify "what does the gesture mean?"



The gesture has no defined or agreed meaning. The only meaning is whatever was in the head of the person who grabbed the mace. In the most recent case he did explain afterwards why he had done it - something about the government having lost its privilege to rule - but I think it would be a different reason every time.






share|improve this answer



















  • 5




    The ceremonial mace has been removed or damaged in protest at least five times.
    – Ambo100
    9 hours ago






  • 1




    It might be worth adding that the mace is required to be present in order for the house to conduct most of its business; hence the house cannot continue what it was doing until the mace is put back.
    – Steve Melnikoff
    3 hours ago










  • It the most recent incident, I believe the member of the Commons who tried to take it was making a statement about the delayed vote on Brexit as if to say, "We the members of the Commons are no longer determinant of what we do as far as business."
    – Karlomanio
    1 hour ago













up vote
25
down vote



accepted







up vote
25
down vote



accepted






The mace is a symbol of the Queen's Authority. Its presence in the House of Commons signifies that the House has the Queen's authority to pass laws, etc.



It is not unknown for an MP to make some kind of protest by grabbing it, but they always seem to look a bit foolish as a result, and it never accomplishes anything except for a bit of light-relief in the news headlines.



I have also known MPs that have committed some kind of parliamentary misdemeanour to be made to "apologise to the mace".



Update: asked to clarify "what does the gesture mean?"



The gesture has no defined or agreed meaning. The only meaning is whatever was in the head of the person who grabbed the mace. In the most recent case he did explain afterwards why he had done it - something about the government having lost its privilege to rule - but I think it would be a different reason every time.






share|improve this answer














The mace is a symbol of the Queen's Authority. Its presence in the House of Commons signifies that the House has the Queen's authority to pass laws, etc.



It is not unknown for an MP to make some kind of protest by grabbing it, but they always seem to look a bit foolish as a result, and it never accomplishes anything except for a bit of light-relief in the news headlines.



I have also known MPs that have committed some kind of parliamentary misdemeanour to be made to "apologise to the mace".



Update: asked to clarify "what does the gesture mean?"



The gesture has no defined or agreed meaning. The only meaning is whatever was in the head of the person who grabbed the mace. In the most recent case he did explain afterwards why he had done it - something about the government having lost its privilege to rule - but I think it would be a different reason every time.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 13 hours ago

























answered 14 hours ago









Martin

693611




693611








  • 5




    The ceremonial mace has been removed or damaged in protest at least five times.
    – Ambo100
    9 hours ago






  • 1




    It might be worth adding that the mace is required to be present in order for the house to conduct most of its business; hence the house cannot continue what it was doing until the mace is put back.
    – Steve Melnikoff
    3 hours ago










  • It the most recent incident, I believe the member of the Commons who tried to take it was making a statement about the delayed vote on Brexit as if to say, "We the members of the Commons are no longer determinant of what we do as far as business."
    – Karlomanio
    1 hour ago














  • 5




    The ceremonial mace has been removed or damaged in protest at least five times.
    – Ambo100
    9 hours ago






  • 1




    It might be worth adding that the mace is required to be present in order for the house to conduct most of its business; hence the house cannot continue what it was doing until the mace is put back.
    – Steve Melnikoff
    3 hours ago










  • It the most recent incident, I believe the member of the Commons who tried to take it was making a statement about the delayed vote on Brexit as if to say, "We the members of the Commons are no longer determinant of what we do as far as business."
    – Karlomanio
    1 hour ago








5




5




The ceremonial mace has been removed or damaged in protest at least five times.
– Ambo100
9 hours ago




The ceremonial mace has been removed or damaged in protest at least five times.
– Ambo100
9 hours ago




1




1




It might be worth adding that the mace is required to be present in order for the house to conduct most of its business; hence the house cannot continue what it was doing until the mace is put back.
– Steve Melnikoff
3 hours ago




It might be worth adding that the mace is required to be present in order for the house to conduct most of its business; hence the house cannot continue what it was doing until the mace is put back.
– Steve Melnikoff
3 hours ago












It the most recent incident, I believe the member of the Commons who tried to take it was making a statement about the delayed vote on Brexit as if to say, "We the members of the Commons are no longer determinant of what we do as far as business."
– Karlomanio
1 hour ago




It the most recent incident, I believe the member of the Commons who tried to take it was making a statement about the delayed vote on Brexit as if to say, "We the members of the Commons are no longer determinant of what we do as far as business."
– Karlomanio
1 hour ago


















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