CorpComms Magazine

Luddite politicians yesterday lost a vote that would have effectively banned the use of Twitter in the House of Commons.

MPs have been able to tweet from the commons since March of this year but the amendment - that would have allowed MPs to only 'receive and send urgent messages' while in session - was defeated by 206 votes to 63.

Supporters of the amendment had argued that the widespread use of smartphones and iPads during proceedings was in danger of bringing the Commons into 'disrepute'.

The House of Commons Procedure Committee had already previously recommended that MPs should be allowed to use electronic devices while sitting on the green benches, as long as they did not 'impair decorum'.

Committee chairman Greg Knight said that he saw no difference between allowing an MP to consult his or her speaking notes or necessary documents in hard copy and allowing them to use an electronic device.

But critics of tablet use, including Conservative MPs Roger Gale and James Gray, were keen to amend Knight's motion, effectively prohibiting the use of iPhones, BlackBerries and iPads, for sending messages that were not 'urgent'. The amendment would have effectively banned the use of Twitter.

'Electronic devices should be used for the purposes of the matter under debate and no other purpose. If the Chamber was seen to be full of people blogging, tweeting and surfing the net, it would risk bringing the Chamber into disrepute,' Gray told MPs.

Several MPs rose to defend the practice of tweeting while sat listening to Commons debates.

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