Parliament Unveils Politically Neutral Christmas Jumper Amid Budget Tensions and Eco-Friendly Shift

Parliament's Festive Sweaters: A Contemporary Tradition for More Than Just the Soft-Hearted

The tradition of Parliament's Christmas sweaters is relatively recent, starting in 2019, with new designs introduced annually. Interestingly, this period has seen four different prime ministers.

Senior political reporter @joncraig

Thursday, October 10, 2024, 8:

Although Halloween and Advent are still some time away, parliament has already introduced its Christmas jumper design for the 2024 holiday season, ensuring it remains politically unbiased.

The announcement precedes the budget presentation by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on 30 October, which has led to numerous MPs grumbling about her reductions to winter fuel allowances, echoing Scrooge's famous "Bah, humbug!"

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This year's sweater is a vivid shade of green. Does this mean we're on track for an environmentally friendly Christmas? Probably not. However, it's notable that the typical colors associated with major political parties—Labour red, Conservative blue, or Liberal Democrat yellow—are absent this season.

The announcement from Parliament reveals a fresh design for the 2024 Christmas sweater, honoring the traditional green color of the House of Commons benches. This design not only captures the festive essence but also celebrates parliamentary heritage.

This gender-neutral sweater is made in Leicester from GRS-certified recycled yarns. Its design draws inspiration from the distinctive floor tiles seen throughout the Palace of Westminster, featuring a variety of symbols related to parliament, including the famous portcullis.

GRS? I wasn't familiar with it either. It turns out GRS stands for Global Recycled Standard, indicating the product is made from recycled materials.

The tradition of wearing Christmas sweaters at Parliament is relatively new, having started in 2019. Each year, the design of these sweaters has been updated. Interestingly, there have been four different prime ministers in office since the tradition began.

I kept my 2019 edition, and on the 12th of December, during the general election, I wore it to the polling station where I cast my vote alongside Mrs. Craig and our dog, who is a supporter of the Defend Our Borders party.

During that particular year, the color scheme adhered closely to the customary green and gold of the House of Commons. However, in subsequent years, we've seen a shift to Labour's red – akin to the red of the House of Lords – and the Conservative's blue.

Two years ago, Angela Rayner stood at the despatch box in the House of Commons sporting a unique Christmas sweater emblazoned with the phrase "gingers are for life not just for Christmas."

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The initiative was part of a fundraising effort for Save the Children, and it happened at the same time as Conservative junior minister Alex Burghart recommended that MPs could "wear new sweaters to stay warm."

Is the Labour administration expected to provide comparable guidance on Christmas sweaters this December, amid the controversies surrounding winter fuel allowances and the onset of colder temperatures?

Clearly, the festive sweaters seen in Parliament aren't limited to the left-leaning crowd.

"Pshaw, nonsense!"

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