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{
    "id": 884155,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/884155/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 57,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "“As with the language you use, the way in which you dress should also demonstrate respect for the House and for its central position in the life of the nation. There is no exact dress code. Convention has been that for men, a jacket and a tie is expected. For women, the equivalent level of formality should be observed.” However, in June 2017, the House of Commons did revisit the matter of dress code for male Members of Parliament where my counterpart, Speaker John Bercow, did guide that Members have to be dressed in “business-like attire” but that ties are no longer essential. I have since checked and found out that a cross-section of the British society seems to be expressing fears that Parliament’s sartorial standards will decline, while others think that the House of Commons is finally entering the 21st Century. The question that begs is: Has the time for a fashion revolution come or is it time to allow fashion to permeate tradition? In Australia, the dress code is not firmly anchored in the rules. In 1999, Speaker Andrew Neil observed that it was widely accepted throughout the Australian Parliament community that the standards of dressing should include good trousers, a jacket, collar and tie for men, and a similar standard of formality for women. In 2005, Speaker David Hawker echoed Speaker Andrew’s position, observing that it was not in keeping with the dignity of the House for Members to arrive in casual or sportswear. Closer home in Zambia, the official dress code for Members of the National Assembly is codified in Standing Order 165, which provides as follows: “The official dress for male Members of Parliament shall be a formal suit, a pair of long trousers, a shirt, a tie and jacket, toga or safari suit with long or short sleeves and a scarf or tie. The official dress for female Members of Parliament shall be a formal dress, dress suit or skirt suit, chitenge dress or suit, short or long sleeved and below the knee, or formal executive trouser suit.”"
}