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`Honourable' no more?

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON DEC. 1. Members of Parliament in Britain may no longer be forced to call each other "honourable'', unless of course they want to, under new plans to "modernise'' parliamentary practices, some of which are too archaic to make sense even to those who follow them.

The practice that requires MPs to address each other with the honorific "Honourable member'' is likely to replaced by the more "normal'' form of mutual address "Mr'' or "Mrs'' though they may still not be allowed to call another member by name.

And any attempt to address another member directly is also likely to be discouraged to prevent the House from plunging into uninhibited informality.

The reforms are the brainchild of the Leader of the Commons, Robin Cook, who has already annoyed "traditionalists'' by changing MPs' working hours to bring them in tune with other modern work places.

His deputy, Ben Bradshaw, told The Sunday Telegraph that Mr. Cook recognised the concern of MPs about the "more archaic elements of our parliamentary language and the impression they give to the public''.

The first recorded reference to the use of honorifics, according to the newspaper, goes back 150 years and Mr. Cook might not find it easy to change old habits.

In Indian Parliament, the word "honourable'' has already fallen into disuse.

The Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh, is among the "honourable'' exceptions, who still insist on using it, often to the amusement of newer, more brash MPs.

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