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The mace is a silver gilt ornamental club of about five feet in length, dating from the reign of Charles II. It symbolises the royal authority by which Parliament meets and also the authority of the Speaker. On each day that the House is sitting the mace is carried to the chamber at the head of the Speaker's procession by the Serjeant at Arms. It is placed on the table of the House, except when the House is in committee, when it rests on two brackets underneath the table. Interfering with the mace constitutes gross disorderly conduct and is a contempt of the House. Heseltine wields the mace Michael Heseltine famously seized the mace after a particularly heated debate in 1976. The evening of 27 May proved to be a particularly eventful one for the House of Commons. The... [read full story]
