Oath of allegiance to the Queen should be scrapped, say campaigners

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The historic oath of allegiance to the Queen sworn by MPs, judges, church leaders and police officers should be scrapped because it breaches human rights, campaigners say.

Republican groups claimed that refusing someone a job because they will not swear an oath to the monarch is unfair.

Foreigners hoping to gain British citizenship could also argue that their rights have been infringed if they are refused a passport because they will not make the pledge of allegiance.

Last week, the Mail revealed that a cross-party group of 22 MPs were campaigning to scrap their traditional oath of allegiance to the Queen.

Instead, they want the Commons and the Lords to be allowed to swear allegiance to their ' constituents and the nation'.

Now the campaign group Republic is planning a legal challenge, saying the current rules discriminate against Catholics, Muslims, Sikhs and members of other religions who object to swearing allegiance to the head of the Church of England.

It also breaches the human rights of those who have 'firmly held beliefs' against the monarchy, they say.

People should be able to replace the oath to the Queen, which dates back at least 500 years, to one to 'the country' or 'the nation'.

Republic is hoping to force a judicial review through a test case where a new MP, magistrate or other public official refuses to take the oath.

Their fight is being spearheaded by human rights lawyer Louise Christian, who said she believes the oath to the Queen could be challenged on the grounds that it no longer reflected the way the country was run.

Republic spokesman Graham Smith added: 'It is vital we challenge these offensive and discriminatory oaths of allegiance. They are completely out of date.'

But Tory MP Douglas Carswell said human rights lawyers are trying to 'usurp the Queen'.

The backbencher added: 'The Queen is a profoundly unifying force - no matter what your background, what your heritage, where your grandparents came from, we can all unite with her as our personal head of state.'