Scottish MP wears football shirt in the Commons in bizarre etiquette breach
Hannah Bardell was showing support for the Scottish women's football team who are playing tonight
A SCOTTISH MP broke with etiquette today as she wore a FOOTBALL SHIRT in the House of Commons.
The SNP's Hannah Bardell sported the replica kit in support of Scotland's women's team, which is playing England tonight - provoking fury from other MPs.
She initially covered it up with a red flowery jacket, before taking the jacket off again.
The rules breach was not mentioned by Speaker John Bercow, who has recently been pushing to relax dress codes for MPs.
Ms Bardell, the MP for Livingston, was nodding towards the England-Scotland match in the women's European Championship.
She said during a debate: "I'm wearing the colours, I hope you don't mind, I used to play alongside two of Scotland's national players at university.
"Their career has obviously done better in football than mine."
The MP's choice of outfit appears to break rules which state that it is compulsory to wear "business attire" in the Commons.
Transport minister John Hayes, who refuses to take questions from MPs who are not smartly dressed, told The Sun: “Once we get to the point where MPs wear football shirts, where next? We get to wear our beachwear?
"How far does this go? And it’s not just national football shirts - next it’ll be Aston Villa, Preston North End, Argyle, Accrington Stanley.
“Formality and dignity matter at certain times in life and in certain places and certain purposes and the dignity of the House should not be taken for granted.”
Mr Bercow has recently launched a drive to make Parliament more casual.
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He ruled that men no longer have to wear ties when they are speaking in the Commons, to the fury of traditionalist MPs.
Previously, MPs have been disciplined by the Speaker for using their clothing to send a message to TV viewers.