Unparliamentary language
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In a Westminster system, unparliamentary language is words or phrases that are deemed to be inappropriate for use in the House whilst it is in session. This includes, but is not limited to the suggestion of dishonesty and foul language or profanity.
Exactly what constitutes unparliamentary language is generally left to the discretion of the Speaker of the House. Part of the Speaker's job is to enforce the Assembly's debating rules, one of which is that members may not use "unparliamentary" language. That is, their words must not offend the dignity of the Assembly. In addition, whilst in the House legislators in Westminster systems are protected from prosecution and civil actions by parliamentary immunity and consequently are expected to avoid using words or phrases that might be seen as abusing that immunity.
Like other rules that have changed with the times, Speakers' rulings on unparliamentary language reflect the tastes of the period. These are some of the words and phrases that Speakers through the years have ruled "unparliamentary" in the Parliament of Canada and the Legislative Assembly of Alberta:
- parliamentary pugilist (1875)
- a bag of wind (1878)
- inspired by forty-rod whiskey (1881)
- coming into the world by accident (1886)
- blatherskite (1890)
- the political sewer pipe from Carleton County (1917)
- lacking in intelligence (1934)
- a dim-witted saboteur (1956)
- liar (consistently from 1959 to the present)
- a trained seal (1961)
- evil genius (1962)
- Canadian Mussolini (1964)
- pompous ass (1967)
- fuddle duddle (1971) - probably the most famous example in Canada
- pig (1977)
- jerk (1980)
- sleaze bag (1984)
- racist (1986)
- scuzzball (1988)
In Britain, the following words have been deemed unparliamentary over time: blackguard, coward, git, guttersnipe, hooligan, ignoramus, liar, rat, swine, stoolpigeon, and traitor. Apparently, the word shit is not unparliamentary language when used as a noun.[1]
In the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Speaker has ruled the phrases "papish bigot," "Orange bigot," and "Protestant bigot" to be unparliamentary. Suggesting that a member should be arrested for war crimes is also regarded as unparliamentary. The terms 'misinformed' and 'mistaken' are acceptable but 'lying' is not, as 'lying' suggests intentional dishonesty.
In the Welsh Assembly the Presiding Officer has intervened when the term 'lying' has been used.
In the Australian Parliament, the word 'liar' is unparliamentary.
[edit] Avoiding unparliamentary language
It is a point of pride among some British MPs to be able to insult their opponents in the House without use of unparliamentary language. Several MPs, notably Sir Winston Churchill, have been considered masters of this game.
Some terms which have evaded the Speaker's rules are:
- Terminological inexactitude (lie)
- Being economical with the truth (lying by omission, originally from the Matrix Churchill affair), since used on the floor of the house as an insult or taunt.
Clare Short accused the Employment minister Alan Clark of being drunk at the despatch box shortly after her election in 1983. Clark's colleagues on the Conservative benches in turn accused Short of using unparliamentary language and the Speaker asked her to withdraw her accusation. Clark later admitted in his diaries that Short had been correct in her assessment.
