Posted by Hovite Link: Privy Counsellors
on 25/9/2009, 21:48:33, in reply to "Re: PM - Your Excellency?"
81.96.188.195
--Previous Message--
: The correct formal address for a prime
: minister or any other member of parliament
: in the UK is 'The Right Honourable'
: preceding their names.For instance if Gordon
: Brown were to be introduced at a formal
: occasion he would be referred to as 'The
: Prime Minister,The Right Honourable Gordon
: Brown'.
Not exactly. Brown is indeed Rt Hon but that has nothing to do with Parliament. The Rt Hon is attached to PC not MP. Most senior ministers will be members of Her Majesty's Privy Council, but the vast majority of MPs are not.
Privy Counsellors swear "to be a true and faithful Servant unto The Queen’s Majesty as one of Her Majesty’s Privy Council. You will not know or understand of any manner of thing to be attempted, done or spoken against Her Majesty’s Person, Honour, Crown or Dignity Royal, but you will lett and withstand the same to the uttermost of your power, and either cause it to be revealed to Her Majesty Herself, or to such of Her Privy Council as shall advertise Her Majesty of the same. You will in all things to be moved, treated and debated in Council, faithfully and truly declare your Mind and Opinion, according to your Heart and Conscience; and will keep secret all matters committed and revealed unto you, or that shall be treated of secretly in Council. And if any of the said Treaties or Counsels shall touch any of the Counsellors you will not reveal it unto him but will keep the same until such time as, by the consent of Her Majesty or of the Council, Publication shall be made thereof. You will to your uttermost bear Faith and Allegiance to the Queen’s Majesty; and will assist and defend all civil and temporal Jurisdictions, Pre-eminences, and Authorities, granted to Her Majesty and annexed to the Crown by Acts of Parliament, or otherwise, against all Foreign Princes, Persons, Prelates, States, or Potentates. And generally in all things you will do as a faithful and true Servant ought to do to Her Majesty".
The phrase "will keep secret all matters" is important, because it gives PCs access to top secret information such as military intelligence gathered by espionage that cannot be disclosed to mere MPs. There is a list of PCs in the list below. Besides cabinet ministers, the list includes the Speaker of the Commons and the main party leaders, so they are entitled to see secret documents.
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