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Entering the British Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour is illegal.
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Dying in parliament is an offence and is also by far the most absurd law in Britain, according to a survey of nearly 4,000 people by television channel UKTV Gold. The poll was released on Tuesday.
And though the lords were clad in their red and white ermine cloaks and ambassadors from around the world wore colourful national costumes, at least nobody turned up in a suit of armour. Illegal.
Other rules deemed utterly stupid included one that permits a pregnant woman to urinate in a policeman's hat and murdering bow-and-arrow-carrying Scotsmen within the ancient city walls of York, Scotland.
A law stating that in Liverpool, only a clerk in a tropical fish store is allowed to be publicly topless, was also ridiculous, said the poll.
A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council told the Telegraph the "law" was a myth and had no basis in fact.
Nearly half of those surveyed admitted to breaking the ban on eating mince pies on Christmas Day, which dates back to the 17th century and was originally designed to outlaw gluttony during the rule of the Puritan Oliver Crowmell.
Respondents were given a shortlist and asked to vote.
Most ridiculous British law:
1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament (27 percent)
2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down (seven percent)
3. In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store (six percent)
4. Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day (five percent)
5. In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter (four percent)
6. A pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet (four percent)
7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the king, and the tail of the queen (3.5 percent)
8. It is illegal to avoid telling the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing (three percent)
9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour (three percent)
10. In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow (two percent)
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(Agencies)
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英国UKTV Gold电视频道对近四千人开展的一项调查表明，“不得死在国会大厦”被认为是迄今为止英国最荒唐的法律规定。该调查结果于本周二公布。
在英国议会，尽管上议院的议员们穿着红白相间的貂皮大衣，来自世界各地的大使们也穿着五颜六色的民族服装，但没有人敢穿着一身盔甲出现在这。因为这也是违法行为。
其它一些被认为“极其荒唐”的法律规定包括，孕妇可以在警察的帽子里小便；在苏格兰约克郡的古城墙内可以随意杀死手持弓箭的苏格兰人等。
此外，英国法律规定，在利物浦，只有热带鱼商店的店员才能在公共场合袒胸露怀，这也让人匪夷所思。
利物浦市政厅的一位发言人在接受《镜报》的采访时说，这条“法律规定”起源于一个神话故事，没有任何事实依据。
近一半的受访者坦称，他们因为在圣诞节吃肉饼而“违反了法律”。“不得在圣诞节吃肉饼”的法律规定起源于17世纪，当时英国的统治者奥立弗•克劳威尔是个清教徒。
UKTV Gold电视频道让受访者对一系列荒唐的英国法律进行投票，投票情况如下：
1、不得在国会大厦内死去。（27%）
2、将印有英国国王头像的邮票倒贴在信封上是一种叛国行为。（7%）
3、在利物浦，女性不得在公共场合袒胸露怀，但热带鱼商店的店员除外。（6%）
4、不得在圣诞节吃肉饼。（5%）
5、在苏格兰，如果有人敲你的家门并且需要使用卫生间，你必须让他（她）进入。（4%）
6、孕妇可以在随地大小便，包括在警察的帽子里。（4%）
7、在英国海岸发现的任何已死亡的鲸鱼，头部自动归国王所有，鲸鱼尾归女王所有。（3.5%）
8、不得向税收官隐瞒你不想让他知道的内容，但可以不告诉他你不介意他知道的内容。（3%）
9、不得身着盔甲进入国会大厦。（3%）
10、在英国约克郡，可以在古城墙内杀死苏格兰人，但前提该苏格兰人手持弓箭。（2%）
（英语点津姗姗编辑）
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