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Urgency, 1881. Artist: Joseph Swain
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Urgency, 1881. Artist: Joseph Swain
Urgency, 1881. The Speaker of the House of Commons uses the symbol of his office to silence the Irish MPs - including Charles Parnell - who were most responsible for using the disruptive and negative tactic of obstruction during parliamentary debates. The Liberal Prime Minister, Gladstone, had recently tried four times to open the debate on his Coercion Bill, which proposed giving the Irish authority power to detain persons suspected of treasonable practices. Four times, Gladstone was stopped by clamour and disorder. Eventually, 36 members were named by Mr Speaker, and removed from the House. Mr Gladstone then proposed another resolution, that of Urgency, which proposed that such motions should only be put by Ministers of the Crown and must attract a majority of three to one. This was agreed with some amendments. From Punch, or the London Charivari, December 2, 1881
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Media ID 14831707
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Debate Disruption Disruptive Gladstone Heritage Image Partnership House Of Commons Houses Of Parliament John Tenniel Joseph Swain Liberal Liberal Party Obstruction Palace Of Westminster Prime Minister Sir John Tenniel Speaker Of The House Swain Tenniel Urgency William Ewart William Ewart Gladstone City Of Westminster
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EDITORS COMMENTS
The print titled "Urgency, 1881" captures a significant moment in British political history. In this powerful image, Joseph Swain portrays the Speaker of the House of Commons utilizing the symbol of his office to silence Irish MPs, including Charles Parnell. These Irish politicians were notorious for employing disruptive and negative tactics during parliamentary debates. At that time, Liberal Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone had made several unsuccessful attempts to introduce his Coercion Bill. The bill aimed to grant authorities in Ireland the power to detain individuals suspected of treasonable practices. However, each time Gladstone tried to open the debate on this contentious issue, chaos ensued with clamor and disorder prevailing. Frustrated by these interruptions, Mr. Speaker named and removed 36 members from the House who were responsible for obstructing proceedings. Subsequently, Gladstone proposed another resolution known as Urgency which mandated that only Ministers of the Crown could present such motions and required a three-to-one majority for their approval. This satirical engraving from Punch magazine reflects both the disruption caused by obstructionist tactics and Gladstone's determination to overcome them through procedural changes. It offers us a glimpse into 19th-century British politics at a crucial juncture when tensions between England and Ireland ran high. Through its monochrome depiction of key figures within Westminster Palace - an iconic symbol of democracy - this print serves as a reminder of how political battles have shaped our history while highlighting issues surrounding power dynamics within parliamentary systems.
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