Origin
The name "Speaker" originates from early times in the United Kingdom House of Commons. "Mr Speaker" was a description rather than a title, the speaker being the Member of Parliament chosen to speak for them to the King. The first recorded use of the term "Speaker" was in 1377. During earlier times when the King was very powerful, he would usually only call the Parliament together in order to get it to agree to levy taxes. The Speaker would report parliament decisions to the King, which proved to be dangerous if it was not what the King wanted to hear. It was not uncommon for early speakers of parliament to be beheaded, with another being "murdered". The traditional token reluctance shown by a Member on being elected Speaker dates from this time, when a Member’s struggle not to be physically forced into the Chair could have been completely genuine. The practice in the House of Representatives that the newly elected Speaker is escorted to the Chair by his supporters derives from this tradition.
Read more about this topic: Speaker Of The Australian House Of Representatives
Famous quotes containing the word origin:
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