Martin Mcguinness Given Aristocratic Title After Resigning As Mp

[ichkeria]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20894374

Maybe Osborne has a sense of humour after all - (a real one that is!)

Does this highlight the anachronistic nature of some of our Glorious Traditions or should we just smile and nod?

(Dangles metaphorical rod in water and waits for a bite)

[flip_flop]

What's next?

Sir Denis Neilson?

[ABerrant]

Its an Office of the Crown not an aristocratic title.

McGuiness will be temporary holder of the Office until another 2 MPs retire/resign (the next will become Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds).

Previous tempory holders of Northstead include Louise Mensch, Gerry Adams, Gorbals Mick and Peter Mandelson.

The current holder of the Chiltern Hundreds is Denis MacShane, preceded by others such as Tony Blair, Betty Boothroyd and Neil Kinnock.

[ichkeria]

Precisely: but it doesn't stop the media jumping on it nonetheless. Quite amusing in a not very amusing sort of way :-)

[sir.prize]

Is this the same MM who was caught with thousands of rounds of ammunition along with 250lbs of explosives in a car?

If so - not a nice man, really.

[ABerrant]

I guess the headline was prompted by the Sinn Fein spokesperson...

"As Irish republicans we gave no time for antiquated and ridiculous titles of the British parliamentary system then and this remains the situation"

It seems that McGuiness, Adams et al were happy to adopt the antiquated title of "Member of Parliament" and the associated monies but rejected the antiquated notion of ever entering the Commons Chamber.

[Hopkirk]

He may have a murky past, but to his credit he has renounced violence.

[emmie]

wonder if his victims are so amused.

[murraymints]

imho..not to be trusted...

[ichkeria]

This is really a complete non-story of Daily Mail proportions. Talking of which I wonder if they've... if only I could be bothered

[anotheoldgit]

Call him what they may, I suppose he has been called a lot worse in his time.

[emmie]

if it's such a non story, why post it.

[anotheoldgit]

/// This is really a complete non-story of Daily Mail proportions. ///

Oh dear even the BBC are now being accused of publishing 'non stories', makes one wonder why some Answerbankers bother to start a thread on news items that they have already condemned as 'non-stories'?

[anotheoldgit]

Em it seems I had the same thought as you, while constructing my reply.

[emmie]

methinks you are just stirring it up, look what the BBC have put, replace BBC with Mail and all are up in arms, oh dear.

[ichkeria]

Of course I was stirring it up! I admitted as much when I posted it! I also think there's someone at the BBC with a mischievous sense of humour :-)

[jno]

someone with time on his/her hands, anyway, which does happen every January 2 or thereabouts when they've run out of fireworks videos, honours lists, 30-year-rule stuff and other New Year traditions to put up on their website.

But I agree with ABerrant, stewards and bailiffs aren't very aristocratic. When the bailiff knocks on your door, do you address him as My Lord?

[emmie]

BBC is a left wing biased organisation, watch any news report, and many of it's programmes, i used to think i was imagining it, but nope they definitely are.

[jno]

not so, em, a friend of mine was visiting the political unit before the last election and said he was astonished at how Tory they all were, cheering Cameron every time he was on the telly and booing Brown. He'd sort of thought they'd be impartial.

[Duncer]

They should have opffered him the title of Lord of Londonderry.