When addressing someone as "right honorable gentleperson" what is the definition of the word right?

I think it means true/honorable

conservative. Because we all know liberal = wrong.

I would say ... True/Trustworthy/ to be taken at face value i.e. 'nothing up the sleeve'/ upstanding

It means "very extremely", and these days carries a certain degree of sarcasm as it is required "parliamentary lagnauge" when one sleazy MP addresses another in the House of Commons, in the UK.

I thought sarcasm wasn't practiced in the UK, the preferred tone being highly serious irony (or is that only in the House of Lords?). Have I got this backwards? Why don't the Lords get question time with the prime minister? Do they at least have to wear wigs?

No, but they do get unoffical sleeping priveledges.

i meant when we hear em saying "right honorable" we feel right sarcastic

i think the prime minister is only allowed in the house of lords once a year, to hear the queen's speech: he is at that time not allowed to speak

kris do you really want to master all of brit parliamentary practice: it will cause you to do drugs i promise — there is some convention whereby if you are wearing a *top hat* in parliament then you can say or do something you are not allowed to otherwise; please god if i remember i will be carried off gibbering

That hat thing is bonkers. A low point in British parliamentary history was reached a couple of years ago when members were reduced to making paper hats out their order papers so as to have the requisite headgear to do the hat thing.

I googled "top hat parliament" but got nothing interesting. You simply have to remember (not that I want you gibbering but this is very important research!)

WHAT IS THIS HAT THING?!?

kris i cannot remember: however i *can* (for some reason) remember that an MP called John Browne made excessive use of it some years ago (rickyT is correct, I think it need not be a TOP hat, but that is what Browne was deploying, hence the momus-style image that has been fixed in my pore brane)

Something to with making a point of order when the Speaker is speaking? ISTR Betty Boothroyd getting all tense about the order paper thing anyway.

"When the House of Commons meets it is the responsibility of the Speaker to keep the House in order and to make sure members do not break the rules of debate.

If a Member of Parliament feels that another member has broken these rules they are permitted to interrupt the debate by rising from their seat and saying `Point of Order, Mister Speaker'.

The Member then explains their reasons for believing the rules of the House have been broken and the Speaker must decide whether the MP has a valid point of order or not. The Speaker's decision cannot be challenged.

MPs wishing to raise a point of order during a division were required to wear a hat so that they can be more easily seen by the Speaker when other MPs are crowding into the Chamber to cast their votes.

Two collapsible, black opera hats were kept in the Commons Chamber at all times for this purpose.

That practice has now been decided to be old-fashioned, and in future MPs will merely have to move nearer to the Speaker to make their point of order. "

So now you know are you i. HAPPY or ii. other?

I can't believe they actually vote by moving to different lobbies (I had to look up "division" to find out what that was about). I have nothing good to say about our government but "Prime Minister's Questions" is by far the most enjoyable program on C-Span.

it says a lot that i thought this thread was about the right honorable gutterperson