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Emma Snaith
Sep 10, 2019
Amid all the chaos during last night's parliamentary debates before the Commons was suspended for five weeks, one woman made a star appearance - Black Rod.
The senior officer in the House of Lords, also known as Lady Usher of the Black Rod, arrived in the chamber late at night to begin the prorogation process.
Dressed in a full ceremonial outfit complete with a gold chain and staff, she arrived to lead the Speaker John Bercow to the House of Lords.
But as Black Rod began to address Bercow, several MPs tried to pin the Speaker to his chair to stop him from leaving. One Labour MP even lay across Bercow momentarily as a group of opposition MPS held up signs reading "Silenced".
After all the night's drama, Black Rod has emerged as the internet's new favourite meme
Black Rod is not here for your nonsense. https://t.co/nE8sy4n0oB— Keva (kay-va) 🏳️🌈🌕✨🌊 (@Keva (kay-va) 🏳️🌈🌕✨🌊) 1568082630
I don't know who or what she is but I'm very into Black Rod's Regency-era butch cosplay. She's serving me unmarried… https://t.co/2ZqTDL3CUh— Curry Bradshaw (@Curry Bradshaw) 1568100037
In all the Parliamentary madness I just love that there's someone called Black Rod who has a Black Rod and she her… https://t.co/Gex6jj5y90— Rachael Stott (@Rachael Stott) 1568103202
Momentarily tried to follow what is going on with the House of Commons, #Prorogation and the Black Rod, then switch… https://t.co/LoYIQJhb4O— Bob Proehl (@Bob Proehl) 1568084595
People from outside the UK had a few questions...
For those overseas followers struggling to keep up with UK politics, I just want to say, yeah it's fucking weird, a… https://t.co/WpCODYkfAE— Another Angry Woman (@Another Angry Woman) 1568101247
US Twitter: The Brits are still up. What’s going on? UK Twitter: Here’s a link for the livestream. Our Parliamen… https://t.co/m289owA4iO— Kerry-Anne Mendoza 🏳️🌈 (@Kerry-Anne Mendoza 🏳️🌈) 1568079453
The person responsible for maintaining order in UK Parliament is called the Black Rod. https://t.co/WQdlRRh7dk— uᴉɐʇdɐɔ (@uᴉɐʇdɐɔ) 1568112880
While others thought her presence was an embarrassing indictment of arcane parliamentary procedure
Other countries: If he lies, he gets fired. England: If the Queen adjudicates that the confidence of 2/3s of the ho… https://t.co/Zdv8c5oYNK— David O'Doherty (@David O'Doherty) 1568025421
Seeing 'Black Rod' trending and reading the tweets regarding the 'ceremony', makes you realise that UK Parliament r… https://t.co/O96wcoiQzb— Jonathan Pie (@Jonathan Pie) 1568110436
And the comparisons from Prince to video game characters and techno producers came rolling in...
UK politics is absolutely barmy, you've got an individual holding a black rod, themselves called Black Rod, dressed… https://t.co/j2xHmsozn4— James Marsh (@James Marsh) 1568103094
Black Rod is my favorite Fire Emblem NPC https://t.co/UrZgPAEkIK— Hugh Monahan (@Hugh Monahan) 1568083313
Excited that Black Rod has finally been introduced in the #Brexit Multi-verse. https://t.co/ykDDtTXPvw— iSchommer Classic (@iSchommer Classic) 1568106676
In Rod We Trust
When I hear ‘Black Rod’ #BlackRod #Prorogation https://t.co/Ozf9AOnpyI— Elly Boston✨ (@Elly Boston✨) 1568105558
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