MPs in British House of Commons need not to wear ties

Members of Britain's House of Commons have been told they no longer need to wear ties when sitting in the chamber at Westminster.

John Bercow, speaker of the Commons announced Thursday that MPs will no longer be required to wear ties, but they will still have to dress in business-like attire.

The issue was raised by MP Peter Bone who spotted an MP, not wearing a tie, had been allowed to ask a question in the chamber, seemingly breaking what had been a long standing convention on dress code.

Speaker Bercow added: "As long as an MP arrives in the House of Commons in what might be thought to be business-like attire, the question of whether he is wearing a tie is not absolutely front and center stage."

A spokesman at the Houses of Parliament told Xinhua: "The wearing of jackets and ties is very much a convention and, as such, it is within the Speaker's power to rule on it.

"From 'Rules of behavior and courtesies in the House' there is no exact dress code. Convention has been that for men, a jacket and tie is expected; for women the equivalent level of formality should be observed."

The definitive handbook and most authoritative reference on parliamentary procedures, known as Erskine May's Treatise on The Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament, says Members of Parliament are not permitted to wear decorations in the House.

The discussion started after Scottish Nationalist Party MP Angus Brendan MacNeil spoke in the Commons on Thursday while not wearing a tie.

One political observed: "It is something that would have been unthinkable in previous parliamentary sessions.