Bob the (Assembly) Builder

As if Plenary Sessions weren’t exciting enough it seems the speaker William Hay is going to make sure that he’s building towards yet more fun in the chamber.

Previously, whoever was in the speaker’s chair called MLAs to speak according to party strengths and the ordering of debates.

Now the speaker plans to call members when they wish to speak.

This means the Assembly could be like Westminster with members bobbing up and down to draw the attention of the speaker, waving their order papers.

The implications are massive replacement surgery for all the arthritic joints of older members trying to keep up the bobbing pace.