The scarf heard round the world

Fundraising watch, Tory-on-Tory violence, Andrew's sticking around

ABOVE THE FOLD

Once again, the war in the Middle East has stretched its tentacles to the Pink Palace.

This time, Speaker TED ARNOTT has banned the wearing of keffiyehs in the Legislature — and in a rare show of alignment, PC DOUG FORD, NDPer MARIT STILES and Liberal BONNIE CROMBIE are on the same page in urging Arnott to change his mind.

What Arnott was thinking: The keffiyeh — a black-and-white checkered scarf typically worn by Arabs that has become a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians — is, at this moment, “intended to make a political point.”

That’s a no-no in Parliamentary convention, and it’s the Speaker’s job to restrict clothing, props or any items that can be seen as overtly political. Case in point: MPPs even need to seek unanimous consent from the House before wearing hockey jerseys or breast cancer awareness ribbons.

Cue blowback. The Premier was quick to point out the move was made by “the speaker and the speaker alone.” (After all, he might’ve preferred NINA TANGRI.)

“I…