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Atheist On The Throne

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Hopkirk | 10:24 Wed 23rd Oct 2013 | News
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What would happen if one of the heirs to the throne announced he was an atheist?
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Kromovaracun

That's a real head-scratcher...because (and correct me if I'm wrong), even though the public elect a party, it's the Queen who invites the PM to work for her, isn't it?

So if he didn't get her permission...he couldn't lead and would have to resign as PM, leaving the position open to someone who would accept the invitation.

I think the key is that we don't elect a PM, we elect a party, and the PM just happens to be the leader of that party.

I think...
PMs are elected by their party, not by the public. So it's for the party to sort out.
Nice image - the Queen getting the PM to 'work for her'.

"...and on your way out Mr Cameron, would you mind having a go at sorting out the guttering on the west wing of Clarence House..."
not even that, sp1814: we elect an MP, not a party.
krom // Would he be required to step down? //

Yes. His party would have to replace him with someone else.
Apart from anything else, if he hadn't campaigned openly for constitutional reform, he would have misled the voting public, and would have to go.
Disestablish the Church of England - simples!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Succession_to_the_British_throne

The Act of Settlement 1701 (restated by the Acts of Union) still governs succession to the Throne. (The Act does not abrogate several provisions of the Bill of Rights, which, therefore, still remain in effect.)

The Act of Settlement further provides that anyone who marries a Roman Catholic is ineligible to succeed. The Act does not require that the spouse be Protestant; it only bars those who marry Roman Catholics. Since the passage of the Act it has been determined (in the case of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent) that an individual is not barred because his or her spouse later converts to Roman Catholicism after their marriage.

Interesting, in that under the current rules of Succession, a future Monarch can be of ANY religion except RC, as this is proscribed under the Act of Succession 1701 & restated in Acts of Union. Although given the current turmoil re Scottish Referendum questions, this could be once again up for debate, not that I wish it ever to be.
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Kromovaracun - a "constitutional crisis" ... I'm trying to find a link to the last episode of "The New Statesman"

You've got a bit of a Cromwell problem.
parties have on many occasions implemented policies that weren't in their manifestos, or ignored policies that were, without anyone having to step down.

"parties have on many occasions implemented policies that weren't in their manifestos, or ignored policies that were, without anyone having to step down."

Yep, that's a side issue.

You could simply redefine the role of King/Queen in the CoE as an "administrative role" rather than a spiritual one, or they simply get to nominate the new head of CoE? It's only a minor rearrangement in practical terms.
From Nibble’s link:

//Under one interpretation, the religion of an individual at the precise moment of succession is relevant. Under another interpretation, anyone who has been a Roman Catholic at any time since 1689 ("then … or afterwards") is forever ineligible to succeed. The former interpretation allows a Roman Catholic to convert to Protestantism and succeed to the Throne just before his predecessor dies; the latter does not. In either case, however, other religions are not affected; it is clear that any non-Catholic may convert to Protestantism and succeed to the Throne.//

Since the Queen is Head of the Church of England, I don’t think that means that someone of another faith could succeed to the throne. That would be silly. Other religions aren’t specified because when those rules were drawn up, faiths other than RC and Protestantism weren’t a consideration. The Act was clearly constructed to keep Protestants on the throne and to prevent Roman Catholics reclaiming it.
Sorry but this is not a news question, it is a Society & Culture/Religion&Spirituality question.
Oops! Off with Hopkirk's head! ;o)
aog, it cannot have escaped your attention that an heir to the throne is being christened today?
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left off the invitation list, were you, Jordyboy? I've heard Jeff Chandler is to be one of the godfathers.
Your three answers would suggest 'yes you are bovvered' jordy.
He would upset antidisestablishmentarianists ;)

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