Quote:
Originally posted by DeltAlum
The British Parliament has decorum?
I thought they spent most of the day yelling at each other across the aisle. (Then went out for a jar.)
Again, a lawyer needs to confirm or disagree, but I believe that under U.S. libel laws, when a person becomes a newsworthy personality (like a politician), she or he gives up many of his/her rights under those statutes -- and also to some rights of privacy.
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Yeah the British debates are a little more entertaining to watch than say the Canadian or US floor debates...
But you'll notice that they never get down to personal attacks on each other's character - and if they do they quickly appologize to the speaker and the house. There is a distinct difference in what you can say about a person on the floor and what you can say about them off the floor - on the floor rules of decorum/honour are still enforced (legally if need be); so you can slam the opposition for shoddy policies, finicial irregularities, and vote rigging - but you can't actually impugne a member of the opposition's character on the floor. Off the floor however anything goes really, a real no holds barred media rumble... or it used to be before Blair got the police involved in enforcing party policy...