Father of the House

:There is also the designation of Father of the House of Lords

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The longest continuously serving member of certain national legislatures, most notably the House of Commons in the United Kingdom, is customarily designated Father of the House. If two or more MPs have equal lengths of service, then whoever was sworn in first is named Father.

Related Topics:
Legislature - House of Commons - United Kingdom

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In the House of Commons, the most important duty of the Father of the House is to preside over the election of a new Speaker, should that office be vacant at the beginning of a Parliament. However, a minister of the Crown is prohibited from presiding at the election of a speaker in the House of Commons; therefore, a minister is never considered the Father of the House, even if that minister is more senior than any other member.

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The term Mother of the House is also found, although the usage varies between countries. Sometimes, it is used simply as the female alternative to Father of the House, being applied when the longest serving member of a legislature is a woman. Sometimes, however, it is treated as a separate designation, and is given to the longest serving female legislator, regardless of whether she is the longest serving legislator overall.

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The current Father of the House of Commons is Alan Williams, Labour MP for Swansea West.

Related Topics:
Alan Williams - Swansea West

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