Identity politics
Having spent a large part of the last fortnight cruising Portcullis House, in order to introduce myself to some of the 227 new MPs (plus five retreads), I've been dreading the moment when I greet some unfamiliar face and congratulate them on arriving in Westminster, only to discover they've been in Parliament 20 years, without me noticing.
It hasn't happened yet, but the throngs of new parliamentarians are causing problems for those greater than I. The new Defence Secretary Liam Fox wound up the defence/foreign affairs section of the Queen's Speech debate last night with a generous tribute to "an incredibly informed maiden speech" by Labour's Alison Seabeck, who has in fact been the MP for Plymouth Devonport since 2005. Oops.
Today, to general titters, Mr Speaker Bercow called (Lab, Sunderland Central) when he meant (Lab, Lewisham West). Everyone chuckled indulgently.
There are some helpful guides circulating - sorted according to party, listing the bald, bespectacled, red-haired, etc. But mistakes are still inevitable. It will be a while before even the most obsessive Commons watcher is certain which of (Lab, Livingstone) and (Lab, Easington) is which.
I'm Mark D'Arcy and I'll be writing about what goes on in the chambers and committee rooms at Westminster.
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