I watch Prime Minister's Questions on C-Span here in the US. I hear some MPs called Right Honorable, and others Honorable. What is the distinction? And how does PM Blair remember who is honorable and right honorable since there are so many MPs present?
2007-03-12 09:18:04 · 6 answers · asked by Postal Professor 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
a right Honourable friend is used when referring someone from your own party. the right Honourable gentleman is used when describing an opposition parties member.
it's all tied up with the past of great britain when you had to be an honourable person to get into politics. the same couldnt be said for the jokers we have now a days.
so what do you lot in america think of our pmq's?
2007-03-12 09:48:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Right Honorable means that they are a member of the Privy Council. This generally means that they are a current or previous minister, although strictly speaking the privy council is a separate body appointed by the monarch.
Because of the tradition of not referring to people by name inside parliament, the PM or whoever is speaking will refer to "my (right) honorable friend" if they're a member of his own party, or "the (right) honorable lady/gentleman" if they are not. You'll also notice that all questions and responses are officially directed at the Speaker, rather than at the person concerned who is only referred to indirectly.
2007-03-13 11:31:24 · answer #2 · answered by Daniel R 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All are honourable but members of the privy council are always right honourable.
As for the Privy council that's another question. The privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, especially ... original being Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council in the United Kingdom. ...
2007-03-12 16:22:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi there,some very good answers here,As a Brit even I did'nt know all this.There are some
weird Titles in the UK.
Privy is a toilet,So if you were entitled to talk to The King when he was sitting on his Privy "doing the what comes naturally"
Then you were a very privileged person.
you were in fact "privy" to his thoughts.
Just thought.Is "privilege" from same source
"Keeper of the Royal Stool" was a good one.
Have you heard the Engish one:
The only person to go into Parliament with
Good Intentions.
.........was Guy Fawkes!
Hey Marxy baby!
What's wrong with freind?
Jane Austen used it all through one of her books. :-)
2007-03-13 14:50:18 · answer #4 · answered by Vincent A 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Rt Hon Friend is someone of your own party who is also a Privy Councillor.
2007-03-12 17:12:26 · answer #5 · answered by Beau Brummell 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You mean FIEND
2007-03-13 01:57:35 · answer #6 · answered by K. Marx iii 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋