Loose tie lands journalist in hot water

Press, 8 December 1987, Page 3

Loose tie lands journalist in hot water

PETER LUKE,

By

political reporter

The Independent Radio News kingpin, Harry Soper, has been warned not to show his naked neck in Parliament’s press gallery again. Mr Soper, the immediate past chairman of the press gallery, has been threatened with relegation to the public gallery if he is spotted reporting

the House in unacceptable attire.

The warning came from the Speaker, Mr Burke, but was conveyed by the Sergeant-at-Arms, Ms Carol Rankin.

It came after a sighting of Mr Soper in the press gallery last week with his top shirt button undone and his tie not taut against his neck.

Mr Burke’s warning

was a reminder to press gallery journalists that while their pay might be well below their prey’s, they do share the same dress standards.

According to the Ser-geant-at-Arms the top button of the shirt must be done up “and the tie knotted in the same vicinity.” She warned Mr Soper that security staff had been told to move him to the public gallery if

he reoffended. There he would be unable to use bis notebook or tape recorder.

Mr Burke has already made it known that visitors to the Speaker’s gallery, opposite the press gallery, must adhere to the sartorial standards of members.

Mr Soper, however, has told Ms Rankin that he is well aware of the rules governing lax dress standards — and

lax ties. “I wouldn’t have thought that my appearance in the gallery for no more than a minute with my tie undone would have required a letter from you,” he said.

“Still, how you spend your time is not for me to comment on even though your salary comes from the taxpayer’s pocket.”