Mace

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Even when the United Kingdom is extending civil rights beyond what we offer in this country, they still do it by shouting at a golden scepter.~ American comedian Jon Stewart

The Mace of the House of Commons is a massive, blingy staff of office that represents the authority of the Sovereign. Cromwell once called it "that shining bauble" so even in 1653 they knew the importance of bling. Parliament can't legally meet without it present in the Chamber, so you could really screw up British governance by stealing the thing. Fortunately this is difficult to do as the Mace is quite heavy.

The Serjeant at Arms carries it in and out of the Chamber in a procession at the beginning and end of each day, but ParliamentTV doesn't broadcast this because it is silly. During normal sittings of the House the Mace sits on the Commons table just in front of the dispatch boxes.

Bling bling

History[edit | edit source]

The "Bauble" mace, as Cromwell called it, was made following the execution of the King in 1649, changing the coat of arms of the King for the coat of arms for the Commonwealth. In 1660, a new mace was made with the King's coat of arms on it following the restoration of the monarchy. Although the mace was changed again at least six times, on the last occasion in 1819, the 1660 mace was brought back and this is the one which is used today.[1]

Uses[edit | edit source]

The Mace has two main uses.

Committees of the Whole House[edit | edit source]

When the House of Commons is sitting as a Committee of the Whole House, as it does when it's considering important constitutional legislation and other matters that require some degree of cross-party consensus, the Mace is taken off the top of the table and hung on little hooks just beneath it. This is the easiest way to tell you're looking a committee meeting instead of a normal sitting of the Commons.

Venting[edit | edit source]

When MPs are very upset they can grab the Mace and swing it around. This gets you thrown out of the Chamber and suspended from Parliament for a week, but it is a good way of getting people's attention and venting your feelings.

In the 1970s Michael Heseltine famously picked up the Mace and started swinging it at people after Labour won a tight vote and rather unmagnanimously burst into "The Red Flag".

The most recent Mace incident occurred in 2009, when John McDonnell, the MP for Hayes and Harlington, was outraged that the Government wouldn't allow a vote on Heathrow expansion. He started shouting that they were "a disgrace to democracy in this country", grabbed the Mace off the table, and deposited it on an empty Labour bench. It would have been more satisfying if he'd whacked Geoff Hoon with it instead, but he got his point across.

Fanon[edit | edit source]

In the Wizardry AU the Mace is widely held to have magical powers that the Speaker can activate.

Other Maces[edit | edit source]

The Senedd employs this sleek modern number, which was given to them by the Parliament of New South Wales in 2006.

The Senedd Mace

The Scottish Parliament has this weirdo round thing that looks like a branding iron. Given what the SNP are like about loyalty tests, it soon may be.

Ominous.

The Northern Ireland Assembly does not use a mace, probably because someone realised shit would get real if they had an actual weapon in the Chamber.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Rogers, R., 2009, Order! Order! A Parliamentary Miscellany. London: RJ Books