Points of Order — Signage in the Chamber—Support for Charities

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I draw your attention to a matter relating to visual aids. While answering that question, the Prime Minister was displaying an item that he believes promotes a very worthy cause—and I think every member of the House would agree with him on that. The item on the lapel of his suit makes a statement about a cause that he has a political view on, and we support his view. Mr Speaker, I ask what your view is on that, seeing that you do not support other members’ displaying in the Chamber today an item promoting an equally genuinely held belief.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: There will be no interruptions—a point of order has been raised, and the House should treat it with dignity. If the honourable member cannot distinguish between the Prime Minister’s wearing a badge that reflects he has made a donation to the breast cancer campaign—and wearing such a badge is something people traditionally do; we often wear daffodils on days we make donations to cancer research in general—and what is on display on the bill boxes on the Labour Party benches today, then he must forgive me but I am certainly in a different place from the honourable member. Surely he can distinguish between those. I have ruled on the other matter, and I expect those signs to come down. I take the matter very seriously.

Question time resumed.