Changing the Oath of Allegiance

Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister (in respect of his law officer responsibilities) – in the Senedd at 2:30 pm on 2 April 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Bethan Sayed Bethan Sayed Plaid Cymru 2:30, 2 April 2019

Well, I just heard from a sedentary position somebody shout, 'Disgraceful'. But, as somebody who is a republican, I'd like the option to have that oath of allegiance to the citizens of Wales and not a body that embodies hereditary privilege and power that is often an anathema to the people of Wales. My paramount loyalty is to the people. Can you outline whether the Welsh Government could request the powers over the oath of allegiance to change, and whether you would be minded to consider amendments within the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill, which is looking at the changing of voting for 16-year-olds, is looking at changing the whole system, to allow the option to exist—I'm not saying to scrap it, for the monarchists in the Chamber—to allow the option to exist for those of us who do not wish to have an oath of allegiance to the monarchy to do a different type of oath, for a modern-day Wales?