Expert: Joseph Logue - 11/5/2007

Question
Dear Joseph, when my father went to school in Gibraltar in the 1940s and 1950s, he was taught that Catholics were forbidden from holding a number of public offices: prime minister, lord chancellor, and yeoman warder to name but three.
While there may be no bar on Catholics today, was there a bar in the past and, if so, when was it removed?

Answer
Hello Joe,

This is a copy of the answer I gave to a similar question about a year ago:

From the research that I have done I will say no, no Catholic has ever become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.  And no, there is no law barring a Roman Catholic from becoming PM either, it just hasn't happened.  There was talk in 2004 of Tony Blair's possible conversion to Catholicism, the religion of his wife and children.  In this article from the Guardian Online

(http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,1328160,00.html),

there is the mention that even Mr Blair wonders if a Roman Catholic can be, or even become, Prime Minister.  As always, this matter is confusing when it comes to "official" Britain.  We know that the monarch is forbidden from being or marrying a Catholic (see:  http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page100.asp).  Even marrying a Catholic will take you out of the succession to the throne, as the Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent found out.  Interestingly, his sister-in-law the Duchess of Kent became a Catholic but her husband the Duke did not have to renounce his succession rights.

Nothing I've seen in the ensuing year has proved to be different.  Thanks for visiting AllExperts.

Sincerely,

Joseph Logue