Expert: Joseph Logue - 10/5/2006

Question
Joseph:

I believe that because of the Catholic Relief Act 1829 a Roman Catholic can't become Prime Minister.

Your thoughts please Sir.
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Followup To

Question -
Joseph; your comment that it just hasn't happened yet I find hard to believe.
I suggest that because Britain has an unwritten constituition, could a barr on Roman Catholics still exist?
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Followup To

Question -
Has there ever been a Roman Catholic that has held the position of Prime Minister of The British Goverment?

Is there anything in the constitution that prevents a Roman Catholic from holding the post of Prime Minister?


Answer -
Hello Muir,

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.

I hope this helps Muir.  Thanks for visiting AllExperts.  Remember that your local library will have all much more information for you.

Sincerely,

Joseph Logue

Answer -
Perhaps I misunderstood the question, but I still believe that there is no bar to a Roman Catholic becoming Prime Minister.    I could find no specific bill or act declaring that RC's could not be PM's.  This may be because the PM sort of arose with Walpole, some 30 years after the Declaration of Rights.  Additionally, the Parliament could enact any bar to the prime ministerial position it wishes.  I just could not find any proof that it had done so.

Sincerely,

Joseph Logue

Answer
Hello Muir,

It appears that I did not consider the Act, but relied instead on my instincts which dictated that the UK would not still have any law on the books barring a Roman Catholic from forming a government.  Similarly, it appears that the current PM's rumoured conversion put the issue squarely on the side of those who would still deny the office to someone based on their religion.

And so it goes.

Thanks for setting me straight.  

Sincerely,

Joseph Logue