Shannon reads the fine print
I ran into Jim Shannon on my way into Stormont today and asked him why he wasn't in Westminster for the election of the new Commons Speaker. He told me he wasn't heading over until next week, when he is due to swear his oath of allegiance.
Having read the fine print, the new Strangford MP pointed out that if he tried to take part in today's proceedings wihtout having been sworn in he could be liable for a £500 fine.
In theory the punishment could be even more drastic - an MP in breach of the regulation could have their seat declared vacant "as if they were dead". Let's watch closely this afternoon to see if any of the other 3 new MPs, Ian Paisley Junior, Margaret Ritchie or Naomi Long risk such a sanction.
UPDATE: Since writing this I've been contacted by a colleague in London who thinks Jim Shannon has got this wrong, because none of the MPs who took part in today's proceedings have yet taken the oath. My colleague says that after today's election of the Speaker, all the MPs, new or not, will take their oaths. Since this doesn't happen until after the election of the Speaker it seems logical that no sanction could follow for participating in the Speaker's election.
Incidentally the rules allow for MPs to swear their oaths in Scottish Gaelic, Welsh or Cornish. But there's no mention of Ulster Scots. Given that Mr Shannon has frequently made speeches in Stormont in Ulster Scots I feel an amendment coming on.
I'm 
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