SNP MP slammed for ‘unparliamentary’ behavior after wearing Scottish FOOTBALL jersey in House of Commons
- Hannah Bardell proudly sported her blue soccer jersey in the House of Commons
- She wears it ahead of the Scotland women’s football team’s match with England
- But Labor MP Sarah Champion called the move unparliamentary
A Scottish MP was criticized today for her ‘unparliamentary’ dress choice after wearing a Scottish football shirt in the House of Commons.
SNP’s Hannah Bardell flouted Parliament’s usually strict dress code and proudly showed off her blue sports jersey under her red floral blazer.
She told her fellow MPs that she wears the football shirt to show her support for the Scottish women’s team, which will face England tonight in the European Women’s Championship.
But Labor MP Sarah Champion said the shirt choice was “unparliamentary” and authorities will likely have “a word” with Ms Bardell.
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Livingston SNP MP Hannah Bardell proudly pulled her blazer to one side to show off her Scottish football shirt in the House of Commons today
Hannah Bardell kept the soccer jersey on as she sat at the back of the packed house for the final weekly Prime Minister’s Questions bout ahead of the summer recess
Standing up to speak on Scotland Questions this morning, Ms Bardell, MP for Livingston, said: “I would also like to extend my best wishes to everyone on these benches for the Scottish football team.
“I wear the colors, hope you don’t mind. I used to play alongside two Scottish national players in college – their football careers have clearly been more successful than mine. ‘
But his highly unusual choice of shirt raised eyebrows as MPs thronged the Chamber for the weekly PMQ fight.
Ms Champion told the BBC’s Daily Politics: “This is not parliamentary and it is from a woman who has been told I have unparliamentary hair.”
She added: “I think there will be a calm word.”
And viewers watching the Commons clash at home were quick to criticize the SNP deputy for the soccer jersey.
Colin Draycott wrote on Twitter: “Since when was it okay to wear a soccer jersey in the House of Commons?”
Michael Fitzgerald wrote on the site: “A member apparently wearing a soccer jersey in the House of Commons. Did it really come to this. #PMQ ‘
And another Twitter user called Tim said: ‘Why is there a woman wearing a Scottish soccer jersey in the House of Commons? Isn’t there a dress code? #PMQ
Ms Bardell seemed proud to have caused a sensation by flouting dress code conventions and retweeted a number of posts commenting on her top.
His soccer jersey scandal comes after House of Commons Speaker John Bercow shocked traditionalists last month by abandoning the tradition of male MPs having to wear a tie to speak in the chamber.
Mr Bercow pointed to a break with the long-standing dress code by saying that it was enough for politicians to be dressed in “work clothes”.
Twitter users were quick to sport the unusual choice of dress as they watched PMQs at home
Twitter user asked about Parliament dress code after spotting the soccer jersey
And another Twitter user also wondered aloud if the soccer jersey was really appropriate attire for the sacred political institution.
Sarah Champion du Labor criticized the MP’s choice, which she said was unparliamentary
This decision has drawn criticism from many who believe that only very elegant clothing should be allowed in the sacred institution of Parliament.
This is not the first time that a member has shocked her parliamentary colleagues by the choice of their head.
In June 2013, Green MP Caroline Lucas was ordered to cover a t-shirt with the words “No more page three†in all caps on the front.
The top, which she wore during a debate on sexism in the media, violated parliamentary conventions prohibiting MPs from wearing clothes with political slogans.
And Labor MP Harriet Harman broke the same rules when she wore a t-shirt with the words ‘this is what a feminist looks like’ on the front of the weekly PMQ clash in October 2014.
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