Boris joins MPs swearing allegiance to King Charles in the Commons – with one Cabinet minister taking the oath in Welsh – as Speaker warns anti-monarchists they will be caught on camera if they cross their fingers
- Boris Johnson among latest batch of MPs to swear allegiance to King Charles III
- Cabinet minister Robert Buckland takes oath twice – in English and in Welsh
- Speaker warns MPs to behave after some have previously crossed fingers
Boris Johnson was today among the latest batch of MPs to swear their allegiance to King Charles following the death of Queen Elizabeth.
The former prime minster this morning queued up to take an oath to the new monarch as the House of Commons sat for the first time since Her Majesty’s state funeral.
Holding the King James Bible, the ex-premier vowed to ‘be faithful and bear true allegiance’ to Charles.
Among Cabinet ministers to pledge themselves to the King, Welsh Secretary Robert Buckland later took his oath twice – once in England and once in Welsh.
Ahead of the latest swearing-in of MPs, Commons’ Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle reminded those in the Commons the event was being filmed by TV cameras.
‘Anything said or done by members may appear on television or may be picked up on the microphones,’ he said.
In previous years, some MPs have courted controversy by crossing their fingers while swearing allegiance to the monarch.
Former Labour minister Tony Banks, a republican, infamously crossed his fingers when he took an oath of allegiance to Queen Elizabeth.
SNP MP Steven Bonnar was accused of insulting Her Majesty when he repeated the cross-fingered stunt after the 2019 general election.
Boris Johnson queued up to take an oath to the new monarch as the House of Commons sat for the first time since Her Majesty’s state funeral
Among Cabinet ministers to pledge themselves to the King, Welsh Secretary Robert Buckland later took his oath twice – once in England and once in Welsh
Labour’s Tony Banks (left) infamously crossed his fingers when he took an oath of allegiance to the Queen. The SNP’s Steven Bonnar repeated the cross-fingered stunt after the 2019 election
MPs are sworn in after each general election – or if they win their seat at a by-election – so they can take their seat, speak in debates, vote and receive a salary.
They can either swear in using a religious text or take a non-religious, solemn affirmation.
Swearing in also happens after the death of the monarch.
For members of the House of Lords this is an obligation but for MPs it is optional and not doing so has no effect on them taking their seat or participating in business.
The wording of the oath means MPs who swore in after the last general election had already pledged their allegiance to the heirs and successors of the Queen, meaning they do not necessarily have to do it again at this point.
Mr Johnson was the 15th MP on Wednesday to take an oath of allegiance to Charles.
Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan was the first, followed by Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
A total of 31 MPs had already pledged their allegiance to Charles during the first swearing-in session on 10th September.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle opened this morning’s proceedings by thanking parliamentary staff, members of the Armed Forces and others for their efforts during the Queen’s lying-in-state and funeral.
He told MPs: ‘I also want to put on record my gratitude to all those who helped ensure events of the last 10 days or so have been managed with such dignity and brilliance, albeit in the saddest of circumstances.’
In his warning to MPs to behave themselves during today’s proceedings, the Speaker added: ‘I remind members that swearing-in is recorded by the television cameras, anything said or done by members may appear on television or may be picked up on the microphones.’
The Scottish nationalist Alba Party revealed their two MPs, Neale Hanvey and Kenny MacAskill, would not renew their vow to the monarch today as they declared ‘it is the people that are sovereign’.
Normal business in the Commons will resume on Thursday.
Advertisement