Graham
01-01-2015, 02:24 PM
Donald Dewar consulted Queen over Catholic monarchy ban
Newly-declassified documents showed Scotland's first First Minister approached Buckingham Palace and the UK Government about the Act of Settlement, which barred Roman Catholics from ascending to the throne and marrying into the Royal Family.
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/11319713/Donald-Dewar-consulted-Queen-over-Catholic-monarchy-ban.html)
Telegraph 1 Jan 2015
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/49337000/jpg/_49337792_dewar_opening_online.transf.jpg
Donald Dewar consulted the Queen and the UK Government over his rejection of SNP calls for an end to the ban on Roman Catholics ascending to the throne, according to newly-declassified documents.
Scotland’s first First Minister after devolution personally backed the campaign to reform the "prejudiced" Act of Settlement 1701, which also prevented Catholics marrying into the Royal Family.
But Mr Dewar argued that a “simplistic or hasty approach” to the controversial issue could embarrass Tony Blair's Labour government and disrupt the peace process in Northern Ireland.
The papers, which date from the first Labour and Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive in 1999, disclose that he sent his lines rejecting the SNP's parliamentary motion on the issue to Number 10 and Buckingham Palace for approval.
Alex Salmond and the SNP have repeatedly pushed for the “discrimination” in the Act of Settlement to be scrapped. Tony Blair promised to examine the issue in 2001, two years after Mr Dewar’s papers, but did nothing about it.
Last year the Coalition passed the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which meant that members of the Royal Family who married a Catholic would no longer lose their place in line to the throne. However, the prohibition on monarchs being a Catholic remained in force.
Ending the ban would in theory mean a Catholic could become head of the Anglican Church, something some constitutional experts say would end the Church of England's role as the established church.
In a six-page submission to ministers, Mr Dewar said: "My natural sympathies lie with the campaign to amend the Act of Settlement. It reflects the political concerns of an earlier era and it was also based on the kind of prejudice which is no longer acceptable to modern society."
But he added: "I personally think that it is important to avoid a simplistic or hasty approach in response to this campaign. We do not want needlessly to offend public opinion. By coming down firmly on one side or another we would risk alienating some group or groups."
The then-First Minister concluded: "It is also worth pointing out that against the background of the delicate peace process in Northern Ireland, it would send entirely the wrong message to the Unionist community to suggest that the UK Government might be re-examining aspects of the Act of Settlement."
Scottish ministers subsequently agreed to amend the SNP's motion in December 1999 to note the depth of feeling on the matter, emphasise its complexity and welcome that the UK Government has “not ruled out further consideration of the matter".
The Scottish Cabinet agreed to clear the wording of the amendment with the Home Secretary and Number 10.
"It would be advisable to seek the views of the Scotland Office and of the Home Office on this wholly reserved matter, if embarrassment to the UK Government is to be avoided,” Mr Dewar said.
"It would also be advisable for me, as a Minister of the Crown, to clear the lines with the palace." Mr Dewar died suddenly in October the following year.
Other files disclosed that Sarah Boyack, the then Transport Minister, had warned the Scottish Cabinet that driver tolls "seemed the only means of raising the necessary resources for investment" in the trunk road network.
More than 13,000 files were declassified today under a 15-year disclosure role created by the SNP-run Scottish Government in 2009. They also included aborted discussions around creating a road charging scheme.
Newly-declassified documents showed Scotland's first First Minister approached Buckingham Palace and the UK Government about the Act of Settlement, which barred Roman Catholics from ascending to the throne and marrying into the Royal Family.
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/11319713/Donald-Dewar-consulted-Queen-over-Catholic-monarchy-ban.html)
Telegraph 1 Jan 2015
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/49337000/jpg/_49337792_dewar_opening_online.transf.jpg
Donald Dewar consulted the Queen and the UK Government over his rejection of SNP calls for an end to the ban on Roman Catholics ascending to the throne, according to newly-declassified documents.
Scotland’s first First Minister after devolution personally backed the campaign to reform the "prejudiced" Act of Settlement 1701, which also prevented Catholics marrying into the Royal Family.
But Mr Dewar argued that a “simplistic or hasty approach” to the controversial issue could embarrass Tony Blair's Labour government and disrupt the peace process in Northern Ireland.
The papers, which date from the first Labour and Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive in 1999, disclose that he sent his lines rejecting the SNP's parliamentary motion on the issue to Number 10 and Buckingham Palace for approval.
Alex Salmond and the SNP have repeatedly pushed for the “discrimination” in the Act of Settlement to be scrapped. Tony Blair promised to examine the issue in 2001, two years after Mr Dewar’s papers, but did nothing about it.
Last year the Coalition passed the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which meant that members of the Royal Family who married a Catholic would no longer lose their place in line to the throne. However, the prohibition on monarchs being a Catholic remained in force.
Ending the ban would in theory mean a Catholic could become head of the Anglican Church, something some constitutional experts say would end the Church of England's role as the established church.
In a six-page submission to ministers, Mr Dewar said: "My natural sympathies lie with the campaign to amend the Act of Settlement. It reflects the political concerns of an earlier era and it was also based on the kind of prejudice which is no longer acceptable to modern society."
But he added: "I personally think that it is important to avoid a simplistic or hasty approach in response to this campaign. We do not want needlessly to offend public opinion. By coming down firmly on one side or another we would risk alienating some group or groups."
The then-First Minister concluded: "It is also worth pointing out that against the background of the delicate peace process in Northern Ireland, it would send entirely the wrong message to the Unionist community to suggest that the UK Government might be re-examining aspects of the Act of Settlement."
Scottish ministers subsequently agreed to amend the SNP's motion in December 1999 to note the depth of feeling on the matter, emphasise its complexity and welcome that the UK Government has “not ruled out further consideration of the matter".
The Scottish Cabinet agreed to clear the wording of the amendment with the Home Secretary and Number 10.
"It would be advisable to seek the views of the Scotland Office and of the Home Office on this wholly reserved matter, if embarrassment to the UK Government is to be avoided,” Mr Dewar said.
"It would also be advisable for me, as a Minister of the Crown, to clear the lines with the palace." Mr Dewar died suddenly in October the following year.
Other files disclosed that Sarah Boyack, the then Transport Minister, had warned the Scottish Cabinet that driver tolls "seemed the only means of raising the necessary resources for investment" in the trunk road network.
More than 13,000 files were declassified today under a 15-year disclosure role created by the SNP-run Scottish Government in 2009. They also included aborted discussions around creating a road charging scheme.