Derry MP Colum Eastwood sits on British Government backbenches and is referred to as ‘friend’ by Labour MP
Colum Eastwood sat on the British Government backbenches in Westminster on Wednesday
British Labour MP Adam Jogee referred to the SDLP leader and party colleague Claire Hanna as his ‘friends’ during Northern Ireland questions in the British House of Commons.
"Can I say it's very good to see my friends from Foyle and South Belfast and Mid Down on this side of the House?” asked the Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, while pointing to Mr. Eastwood and Ms. Hanna on the Government benches.
According to British Parliamentary convention MPs refer to members of the same party as ‘my (right) honourable friend’ or ‘my friend’.
During the previous parliament Mr. Eastwood and Ms. Hanna were invariably referred to by Labour parliamentarians as the ‘honourable members’ for Foyle and South Belfast.
On Wednesday when Ms. Hanna rose to raise the issue of Casement Park the SDLP members were seated between the new Labour MPs for Wolverhampton East and Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Sureena Brackenridge and Torcuil Crichton respectively.