Richard Holden “takes the oath” as he is sworn in as MP.
After being sworn in, Richard commented that:
“This week I was sworn in as Member of Parliament for Basildon and Billericay, which allows me to speak up on behalf of all of you in Basildon and Billericay in Parliament. It really was a special moment.”
And for those of you who want to know a little more about what “taking the oath” means:
- Until an MP takes the oath they can’t speak in a debate in Parliament.
- Members who have religious faith swear the oath, members who do not can solemnly swear and affirm.
- Members of different faiths can swear on their own holy text or scripture.
- This is important because until the 19th century people who were not Protestants were banned from being MPs!
