By: Simon Brooke :: 01 July 2023
Election
Each year, on the first day of April, or on the first sitting day thereafter, the members of the House of Commons shall elect, by secret ballot, from among their number, a Jester to serve in the Court of St James's, and within the House.
Term of Office
The Jester shall serve for a period of one year or until the succeeding Jester is appointed. The Jester shall not be entitled to apply for the offices of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds or of the Manor of Northstead. The office of Jester shall not be deemed an office of profit under the crown.
Address
The Jester may be addressed formally as 'The Jester to the Court of St James's' or as 'The Buffoon of the House'; it shall be correct to refer to him within the chamber and in the official record as 'the Fool' or 'the Buffoon'.
Nomination
Nominations may be made in writing to the Clerk of the House on any date from the first of January until the twenty-first of March. Each nomination must be
- Signed by a Member of the House as Proposer;
- Signed by two other Members of the House as Seconders.
It shall be a Contempt of the House to disclose to any person the identities of the proposer or seconders of any nomination.
Nomination of the Speaker of the House to the position of Jester shall not be accepted.
Duties
The Jester shall serve in the Court of St James's at His Majesty's pleasure. The Jester shall be present, in his garb of office, in the House, on each day on which Prime Minister's Questions are heard, unless prevented by illness, or by duties to His Majesty.
Licence
The Jester may, during his term in office and while wearing his garb of office, lie, dissemble, defame, or hold in contempt, any person, institution or office whatever without fear of sanction.
Garb of Office
The Jester shall wear, while serving either at the Court of St James's or within the Palace of Westminster:
- A hat, particoloured in red and yellow, having three points, to each of which shall be attached a bell;
- A doublet or jacket, particoloured in red and yellow;
- Hose, particoloured in red and yellow;
- Pointed shoes, particoloured in red and yellow, with bells attached to the points.
Emolument
The Jester shall be entitled to emolument as though he were a Parliamentary Under Secretary, unless he is already, in fact, entitled to a higher parliamentary emolument by virtue of being a Minister, Opposition Spokesman, or otherwise.
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