MP backs change to constitution

LEWES MP Norman Baker has pledged his support for a Ten Minute Rule Bill which aims to 'strike at the discrimination and intolerance that lie at the heart of the British Constitution .

Labour backbencher Kevin McNamara wants to bring in legislation to modernise the Constitution, removing religious bias and gagging clauses that prevent criticism of royal institutions.

Said Mr Baker: 'If successful, the McNamara bill will strike out 300-year-old laws banning Catholics from the line of succession to the throne.

'It will remove the threat of draconian prison sentences for newspaper editors who argue for the abolition of the monarchy, and offer an alternative parliamentary oath deleting all references to the Queen.

'This bill has my full support.

'It aims to modernise our Constitution and the House of Commons to ensure they become truly representative of society and also to re-assert parliament s belief in the values of inclusivity and pluralism.

'If successful, the bill will clean up some embarrassing and outdated elements of our legislation legislation that, for as long as it remains on the statute book, leaves us vulnerable to charges of hypocrisy and inconsistency.

And he added: 'If a member of the Royal Family becomes or marries a Roman Catholic they are automatically excluded from the line of succession. This is clearly discriminatory and what kind of a message does this send to the international community?

On the question of the parliamentary loyal oath, Mr Baker said: 'Some MPs have made a nonsense of it and it is far more honest for them to promise to carry out their duties as elected by their constituents.

'I think it is wrong that some of my colleagues should start off their parliamentary careers by making an oath in which they have no belief.

'Agreement on this bill will demonstrate the will of the House of Commons to modernise the Constitution and its workings.