Some like it hot

I see on BBC man Mark Devenport's excellent blog today that the Assembly has declared what we at school used to call "shirt-sleeve order". Once declared, the freedom gene kicked into overdrive as we threw off jackets, blazers and ties and rolled our sleeves up.

But that was school. Why on earth do people supposed to be responsible enough to lead the state need someone to tell them when they may, or may not, throw off their jackets? Am I just stupid or something, or is it not a simple enough thing to think, "Hey it's hot", and take your jacket off? Or worse: is there someone deep in Stormont who dictates what these MLAs wear? Do they, on pain of death, have to wear suits and ties? And skirts (women and Ulster-Scots only)? I mean, come on! Why be straightjacketed? I'd regard it as a sign of maturity if one of the under-50s attended a debate in polo shirt and chinos. And why not?

The truth is, though, NI is - in so many ways - still in the 1950s. Why can't the fresh thinking I try to put out through this blog translate itself into MLAs dressing like real people - especially on a hot summer's day?

UPDATE: It really is a rule, God help us. Listen to this from Ulster Unionist Ken Robinson, "I spotted this guy ... in the Assembly in the morning with his jacket over his arm, very improperly dressed I thought. By question time his conscience must have pricked him because he had the suit on at that stage and he was the perfect picture of sartorial elegance".

Well, dear readers, when nominations go in for Stormont Dickbrain of 2007 I think we all know who to vote for.