I agree with Salmond and the SNP - The Act of Settlement must be repealed

2.36.13pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 28th Jun 2006

Royal crest of Queen Elizabeth II

Alex Salmond, the Leader of the SNP today used the opportunity of Prime Minister's Question Time to call for the repeal of the Act of Settlement. I have previously called for the repeal and wrote the original motion that the Liberal Democrats have passed calling for repeal. Blair of course did not promise to repeal the Act but batting the question away.

Amongst other things the Act bars Catholics from becoming King or Queen, or from marrying the Monarch, whilst not prohibiting other religions in the same way and therefore effectively condones discrimination against Catholics. Prime Minister Blair has in past conceded the act is "plainly discriminatory" and "plainly wrong" but no action has been taken to repeal the Act.

If we change the laws regarding succession we should also get rid of the sexist element which means the Throne will be passed to the eldest MALE child of the Monarch.

It used to also be the case that the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellors could not be Catholic, although that bar was lifted we have still not had a non-Protestant as Prime Minister.