Manor of Northstead

Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead
Arms of Her Majesty's Government
Incumbent Peter Soulsby since 1st April 2011
Appointer	George Osborne as Chancellor of the Exchequer
Website	Chiltern Hundreds and Manor of Northstead

The Manor of Northstead was once a collection of fields and farms in the parish of Scalby in the North Riding of Yorkshire in England. By 1600, the manor house had fallen into disrepair and was occupied only by a shepherd.^[1] At present the Manor is part of the Barrowcliff area of the town of Scarborough. The Manor still has a Crown Steward and Bailiff, appointment to which is commonly used as a procedural device to effect the resignation of a Member of Parliament.

Crown Steward and Bailiff

The position of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead is now used as a procedural device to effect resignation from the House of Commons, since British MPs are not permitted simply to resign their seat. Under the Act of Settlement 1701, any Member of Parliament accepting an office of profit under the Crown must give up his or her seat.

Most references say that it was first used in this way on 20 March 1844 to allow Sir George Henry Rose, Member for Christchurch, to resign his seat in Parliament, but the official book recording appointments to the various Stewardships (lodged in The National Archives under catalogue reference E 197/1^[2]) indicates that Patrick Chalmers, MP for Montrose Burghs, was appointed to Steward of the Manor of Northstead on 6 April 1842. The writ for the electing of a replacement was moved as if Chalmers had been appointed to the Chiltern Hundreds.^[3] In more recent years, the post of Manor of Northstead and The Chiltern Hundreds have alternated between resigning MPs.

Current Crown Steward and Bailiff

Sir Peter Alfred Soulsby was appointed to the office Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead."Manor of Northstead". HM Treasury. 1 April 2011. ^[4]

Controversy

After announcing his intention to resign from the United Kingdom Parliament in order to stand in the 2011 Irish general election, Sinn Féin MP Gerry Adams was appointed to the office Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.^[5][6] Adams later stated the reports that he had "accepted" the appointment were untrue.^[7]

See also

• List of Stewards of the Manor of Northstead
• The stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds in the Chiltern Hills is also used as a device for resignation.

References

1. ^ "The Chiltern Hundreds". Factsheet P11 – Procedure Series. House of Commons Information Office. August 2010. http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/p11.pdf. Retrieved 14 January 2011. 
2. ^ "Piece details E 197/1". The Catalogue. The National Archives. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=6&CATID=193143. Retrieved 14 January 2011. 
3. ^ "Preamble (Hansard, 6 April 1842)". UK Parliament. 6 April 1842. http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1842/apr/06/preamble. Retrieved 5 February 2011. 
4. ^ http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_36_11.htm
5. ^ "Manor of Northstead". HM Treasury. 26 January 2011. http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_08_11.htm. Retrieved 26 January 2011. 
6. ^ "Manor of Northstead". HM Treasury. 9 July 2011. https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B3X2VVMCALlzZDBiNmMxMmYtMmNlMi00MGExLTgwYWMtZWEwN2RhNzc5OGRh&hl=en_GB. Retrieved 9 July 2011. 
7. ^ "Adams comments on Cameron claims". Sinn Féin. 26 January 2011. http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/19972. Retrieved 26 January 2011.