The Honourable U.K. Prime Minister

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Canada's Justin Trudeau visiting then U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron.

The famous London address 10 Downing Street, where prime ministers of the United Kingdom live currently has no tenant, after Boris Johnson resigned as the leader of the Conservative Party. There’s a two-way race for the position. Liz Truss wants to be prime minister, so does Rishi Sunak.

But we are forgetting a little detail, as tiny as a speck of dust. What is it? The title. The full title is Honourable Prime Minister. It is part of British parliamentary tradition to use ‘honourable’ which is ironic really, because there’s nothing honourable about politics. What is honour?

Scout’s Honour?

On my honour?

The honourable thing to do?

India honour killings?

Honour is subjective. It depends on who is talking. I swear on scout’s honour because I want you to trust me. Most likely, what I stand for is far from being honourable. Bollywood has made many movies about fathers and brothers in India killing women in the name of family honour. 

Toddlers are honourable, not politicians. It starts with their intention to run for office, entering the race and raising campaign funds. Britain colonized half of the world, so calling politicians ‘honourable’ is an export.

Nigeria turned British tradition upside down. They call politicians honourable but it is not a badge of honour. It implies corrupt, infidelity and other negative behaviour. There might be fist fights if you call somebody honourable.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang. 

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