Picked up while driving to work this morning:
On the floor of the British House of Commons are two red lines, 2.5 meters apart1, which separate the two front benches. According to tradition, these lines are just over two sword lengths apart and were meant to keep MPs from resorting to duels to settle debates. Protocol forbids crossing this line while speaking and may be the origin of the expression "toe the line".
The two oldest parliaments in continuous existence are the Tynwald, the Parliament of the Isle of Man, and the Althing, the Parliament of Iceland.
[1] Appendix A of "The Palace of Westminster" factsheet.
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