1-150-854 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

Urgency, 1881. The Speaker of the House of Commons uses the symbol of his office to silence the Irish MPs - including Charles Parnell - who were most responsible for using the disruptive and negative tactic of obstruction during parliamentary debates. The Liberal Prime Minister, Gladstone, had recently tried four times to open the debate on his Coercion Bill, which proposed giving the Irish authority power to detain persons suspected of treasonable practices. Four times, Gladstone was stopped by clamour and disorder. Eventually, 36 members were named by Mr Speaker, and removed from the House. Mr Gladstone then proposed another resolution, that of Urgency, which proposed that such motions should only be put by Ministers of the Crown and must attract a majority of three to one. This was agreed with some amendments. From Punch, or the London Charivari, December 2, 1881.