Tuesday, December 02, 2008

The Feminine Touch in Parliament

Jill Pay is the first woman to hold the prestigious office of Serjeant at Arms in the House of Commons. The blame for the raid on MP Damian Green's office is also now being shifted over to her from the ever chivalrous office of the Speaker. Certainly it appears to have been Pay's office who allowed the police in, believing, apparently, that the raid had been authorised by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The office of Serjeant at Arms has hitherto been held by some high ranking former military man. The sort of person unlikely to allow himself to be intimidated by a mere police request. I wonder if the problem for Jill Pay is not that she has struck a blow for feminism in holding this office, but that she lacks the authority and sheer bloody mindedness that often comes with having held a high military position, and which would have served so well in this recent instance?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You did that deliberately!

Giles Marshall said...

Ha Ha!!

JohnofEnfield said...

HM Queen spotted the problem immediately

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1091035/How-Queen-snubbed-woman-let-Met-Westminster.html

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