MP swears into Commons for second time after being threatened with legal action

A Labour MP has been forced to swear into the Commons for a second time after he failed to use the correct wording in his first attempt last week.

Clive Lewis, who represents Norwich South, had been threatened with legal action if he did not pledge allegiance to “King Charles’s heirs and successors” as required by law.

Swearing-in is the process by which MPs and members of the House of Lords take an oath of allegiance to the Crown before officially taking their seats in parliament.

While members can either swear in using a religious text or take a non-religious, solemn affirmation before taking their seats in parliament, they must do so by pledging their loyalty to the King as laid out in a law dating back to 1866.

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But Mr Lewis, who opposes the monarchy, said in his first initiation: “I take this oath under protest and in the hope that one day my fellow citizens will democratically decide to live in a republic.

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“Until that time I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, according to law.”

On Tuesday Mr Lewis returned to the Commons to swear in for a second time after being warned by the Commons authorities that he faced a fine of £500 and the prospect of losing his seat if he failed to do so.

The Labour MP posted on X a letter he received from the House of Commons Journal Office – which acts as a record-keeping service – which said that his omission of the words “heirs and successors” meant there was “doubt” over whether his affirmation was “valid”.

On the second attempt he said: “I was elected to parliament to represent my constituents and our country to the best of my ability to defend democracy and uphold human rights and one day I hope all members of parliament will be entitled to swear an oath of allegiance based on those values.

“I do solemnly and sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law.”

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Shortly after he swore in using the correct wording, Mr Lewis posted on X: “After omitting to swear allegiance to King Charles’ ‘heirs and successors’ last week, I’ve had to take the oath again in order to sit in the House of Commons.

“The majority of the public are committed to democracy, and so I hope one day MPs can swear an oath based on those values.”

“If I had not re-sworn the oath, then based on a law from 1866, I could be fined, subjected to legal action, and my seat ‘shall be vacated in the same manner as if (I) were dead’,” he added.

“This should change, so MPs have the choice to swear allegiance to our constituents and democracy.”

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