Ouch!

DURING Tuesday’s Assembly plenary session the Speaker delivered a slapdown to party colleagues in the DUP. Speaker William Hay, referring to previous challenges in the chamber by the DUP on who is called to speak, laid down the law in no uncertain terms.

In a robust declaration of the impartiality of his role as speaker (and his deputy speakers), William also told MLAs that he would not be taking points of order.

Promptly DUP South Antrim MLA William McCrea popped up to say: “Mr Speaker, on a point of order…”

The member was quickly told by an irritated Speaker: “I have made it absolutely clear that I am not taking any points of order on the issue on which I ruled this morning”.

Without sanction, that is as close as it gets to delivering an ‘ouch!’ in parliamentary terms. Take a moment to read the Official Report of Tuesday’s plenary session and William Hay’s opening statement is a remarkable assertion of the independence of the Speaker.

There is more than a hint of exasperation akin to a schoolmaster addressing unruly pupil as he quotes, chapter and verses the rules for behaviour. No doubt, the ‘pupils’ will find another way to misbehave very soon.