FRESHLY-elected Claire Hanna yesterday made a "respectful protest" about the requirement for MPs to pledge allegiance to Queen Elizabeth as she was sworn in at Westminster.
The SDLP representative became an MP for the first time last Thursday having won South Belfast with a majority of more than 15,000.
Her election, alongside that of party leader Colum Eastwood, has reopened the debate about the mandatory requirement for MPs to take an oath to the British crown.
In the past, English and Irish republicans averse to stating allegiance to an unelected monarch have employed various strategies to get around the requirement.
The late left-wing Labour MP Tony Banks used to take the oath with his fingers crossed as a sign that he didn’t really mean it, while in 1969 Bernadette McAlliskey – then Bernadette Devlin – took the oath, later saying she had been told to cross her fingers and spit.
SDLP's @ClaireHanna is sworn in as a new MP.
— Darran Marshall (@DarranMarshall) December 18, 2019
After the affirmation she "pledges her allegiance to the people of South Belfast". pic.twitter.com/VyJwad70sw
To coincide with her being signed in Ms Hanna wrote to Westminster speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to raise concerns about the pledge.
MPs are required by law to take the oath or affirmation of allegiance to the crown and are not allowed to speak in debates, vote or receive their salary until they do so.
Some SNP MPs also stressed they were making the pledge in order to serve their constituents.
Ms Hanna opted to affirm before outlining her reasons for doing so.
"I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law," she said, before adding "My allegiance is to the people of South Belfast in order to serve them.
"I've made this affirmation. My political commitment is to the Good Friday Agreement, relationships in Northern Ireland, between north and south of Ireland and between these islands based on mutual respect and co-operation."
Her letter to the speaker said: "I submit this letter to you to register a respectful protest against the requirement that I make a statement of allegiance to the crown as a precondition for taking my seat.
"I chose an affirmation rather than an oath, but the words do not reflect my outlook."
After reiterating her commitment to the Good Friday Agreement, she added: "I do not believe it serves trust in Parliament for MPs to be obliged to rehearse pledges that are not true for them.
"I believe a better pledge would be one to parliamentary service on behalf of our constituents, with an allegiance pledge for those who wish to make one."
The SNP's Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) said he was affirming in order to "serve my constituents".
His party colleague Mhairi Black said her allegiance is "first and foremost" to her Paisley and Renfrewshire South constituents and she was making the pledge "for the purpose of the job".
