A Labour MP has needed to return to parliament to be sworn in once more every week after he protested towards pledging allegiance to the king as he took the oath.
Clive Lewis, a outstanding supporter of Britain changing into a republic, returned after parliamentary authorities instructed him he won’t be capable to communicate within the Commons, vote or obtain a wage, and will even face a byelection if authorized motion was taken towards him beneath the Parliamentary Oaths Act.
The Norwich South MP didn’t seek advice from “his heirs and successors” after a point out of the king when he stated throughout a swearing in final week: “I take this oath under protest and in the hope that one day my fellow citizens will democratically decide to live in a republic.
“Until that time I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, according to law.”
Lewis stated on X on Tuesday: “After omitting to swear allegiance to King Charles’ ‘heirs and successors’ last week, I’ve had to take the oath again in order to sit in the House of Commons.
“The majority of the public are committed to democracy, and so I hope one day MPs can swear an oath based on those values.”
He additionally posted a photograph of a letter he acquired from the Home of Commons Journal Workplace, which stated his omission of a part of the oath meant there was “doubt about whether the manner in which you made the affirmation is legally valid”.
“If I had not re-sworn the oath, then based on a law from 1866, I could be fined, subjected to legal action, and my seat ‘shall be vacated in the same manner as if [I] were dead,’” he added. “This should change, so MPs have the choice to swear allegiance to our constituents and democracy.”
The anti-monarchy marketing campaign group Republic stated Lewis had been subjected to “disgraceful treatment”. “Being forced to swear a nonsense oath to do the job he was elected to do is appalling,” added Graham Smith, the chief govt of Republic.
after e-newsletter promotion
The chief of Northern Eire’s Social Democratic and Labour celebration, Colum Eastwood, final week stated he was making his oath “under protest” and that his true allegiance was to the “people of Derry and the people of Ireland”.
His colleague Claire Hanna prefaced it in Irish and English when she was sworn in, saying: “In friendship and in hope of a reconciled new Ireland, my allegiance is to the people of Belfast South and Mid Down & I say these words in order to serve them.”
The Commons speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, had been ready to sit down for 2 hours on Tuesday to permit MPs to swear in. He adjourned the session after about 36 minutes, with the remaining handful of MPs who’re but to be sworn in anticipated to take action on Wednesday afternoon earlier than the king’s speech debate.
