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New rule giving the go-ahead for MPs to use Twitter in the Commons

Members of Parliament have now been given the right to tweet during speeches in the House of Commons.

The official Commons Procedure Committee has announced that MPs are free to tweet in the chamber via their smartphones as long as they do so 'with decorum and regard for others' while ensuring that their devices remain on silent at all times.

They will also be allowed to use iPads and other similar devices, providing that they are A4 paper sized or smaller.

The committee revealed that, despite some concerns regarding the dignity of proceedings, most MPs believe that this move 'brings parliament to a whole new audience.' Members of the public can already follow proceedings on live broadcasts.

The committee added: 'It has to be acknowledged that electronic devices are ubiquitous now in a way that even four years ago was not the case. Banning them from the chamber might make the House appear out of touch with modern life and would mean that those in the chamber would be the last to know of breaking news widely available on the Internet.'

It concluded 'the current ban on the use of hand-held electronic devices as an aide memoire, whilst speaking in a debate, should be ended.' The committee said that it hopes the rules will be respected and that using social media within the Commons would not impact MPs' focus on the speeches and debates.

There will be an initial one year trial and, if successful, the changes will continue.

More than 220 MPs already regularly tweet.

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