Oath Of Loyalty To The Queen
MPs have to swear an oath of loyalty to the Queen when they take their seat in the House of Commons. But anti-monarchy campaigners want to challenge this requirement in the courts on human rights basis.
There is also an early day motion proposed by Lib Dem front bencher Norman Baker proposing an alternative oath, claiming that “some honourable members would prefer to swear an oath of allegiance to their constituents and the nation rather than the monarch”. It has so far been signed by 22 MPs - 14 Labour, 7 Lib Dems and one Conservative.
Frankly, it is ridiculous. The Queen is our Head of State. She is also a constitutional monarch, and so holds no real power in her own hands. That resides in the Prime Minister and in Parliament. The Queen is simply a unifying figurehead and symbol of our nation, and her entire family costs us just 66p each a year, for a more than full-time job.
The claim that the requirement to swear an oath of loyalty to the Queen discriminates against Catholics, Muslims, members of other religions and atheists by requiring them to swear allegiance to the head of the Church of England, and presumably against repoublicans by requiring them to swear an oath of loyalty to the monarchy, is stupid. The Queens role as Head of State is separate to that of Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
When it comes down to it, there are no human rights issues over this oath of loyalty. An MP can - like the Sinn Fein - not take their seats if they don’t want to make the oath. And other officials can not take the job.
In these oaths, although the wording references “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors”, the meaning is rather towards her position as Head of State. It isn’t a personal oath to Elizabeth II, but an oath to the nation she represents. If they can’t see that, then there are, frankly, big questions over their ability to take any office where this oath is required.

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Sam Coates at the Times‘
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It’s amazing. MPs have voted
This is not the sort of thing that MPs should say:
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