Well, well, well, constitutional monarchy looks set to continue after all – despite the best efforts of Labour’s Clive Lewis. The MP for Norwich South was forced to swear in to parliament for a second time after his first attempt didn’t quite, er, cut the mustard…
Last Wednesday, Lewis drew attention to himself when he omitted to swear allegiance to King Charles and his ‘heirs and successors’, instead remarking: ‘I take this oath under protest, and in the hope that one day my fellow citizens will democratically decide to live in a republic.’ That’s not quite how it works, Clive…
It has now transpired that the parliamentary office sent Lewis a letter later that day warning him that he could be liable for legal action, endless fines and even a by-election under the Parliamentary Oaths Act 1866, if he didn’t ‘remake the affirmation in the words prescribed by law’. Crikey. MPs are also unable to participate in debates, vote or get paid until they swear in.
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