AboutHarry Hayfield Expertise Any questions relating to the composition of parliament, the workings of parliament and national, special, local and regional elections
Experience Stood in the local elections of June 2004 and have data going back to 1950 for the UK parliament and 1832 for Welsh constituencies
Question Hi Harry,
Just finished watching PMQ's and something that has intrigued me for quite a
time is this:
When the Speaker calls out an MP's name to ask a question, several other
MP's across all parties, stand up briefly and then sit down.
Why is this?
Answer Well, they are not playing musical chairs (perhaps I shouldn't have said that with the BBC comedy series Dead Ringers about to start up soon). What they are actually doing is "catching Mr. Speaker's eye" and it's a hangback to when MP's had to bob up and down like yo yos so that Mr. Speaker would call them to ask a question.
