Bishop criticises David Cameron for keeping law discriminating against Catholic royals

  • Thread starter Thread starter 1holycatholic
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
1

1holycatholic

Guest
Bishop’s PM blast over law
A FURIOUS bishop yesterday blasted PM David Cameron for not axing the law stopping Catholics being on the throne.
Joseph Devine, Bishop of Motherwell, branded it a “scandalous” ban which discriminated against members of his faith.
…]
He added: "This law is a restriction on the private lives - and consciences - only of members of the royal family.
“But it is also the last symbol of Britain’s anti-Catholic history, as the Act’s offensive reference to ‘papists’ makes clear.”
…
 
It has roots in anti-Catholic bigotry but keeping it around is practical. Allowing a Catholic to become Supreme Head of the Church of England makes about as much sense as allowing an Evangelical to become Pope.
 
I think there are prudent reasons for Britain not unilaterally repealing the Act of Settlement. Namely, the Commonwealth Realms.

It’s a constitutional convention that changes to succession have to be unanimously agreed upon by all Commonwealth countries in which the Queen is Head of State, e.g. Canada, Australia, Jamaica, Belize. Were the British Parliament to repeal the Act by itself, it would, eventually, create two Royal Houses, causing a constitutional crisis.

Now there probably would be some Realms which would agree with a proposed repeal of the Act of Settlement - for example, several of the Carribean Dominions, where the majority of the population are Catholics. Others, would be more reluctant, IMHO.
 
It’s not like the UK is keeping the rest of the non-royal feudal trappings; last I read, they were essentially turning the HoL into a mere second chamber… When it went from 750 hereditary peers voting to 92, of which only 10 are lifetime and the rest balloted amongst the Lords; an additional 26 bishops and 12 Law Lords also sit therein.

And they abolished special protections for non-Royal Nobles some time ago.

It will be interesting to see if they ever finish “de-lording” the HoL…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top