JEREMY Corbyn has been overheard calling a parliamentary tradition “a load of nonsense” while waiting to be sworn in as an MP.
Corbyn, who won the Islington North seat as an Independent – after being kicked out of the Labour Party in May – could be heard making the comment on Parliament Live TV on Tuesday afternoon.
As he was waiting in line to be sworn in, he said to a colleague: “This is such a load of old nonsense, isn’t it?”
🚨 NEW: Jeremy Corbyn is caught on microphone whispering "this is such a load of nonsense, isn't it?" before he is about to be sworn in as an MP pic.twitter.com/CYaD9Nu0KE
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) July 9, 2024
After MPs are elected following a General Election or by-election, they must take an oath of allegiance to the Crown before being able to take their seat in Parliament.
Members can either be sworn in using a religious text or take a non-religious affirmation.
One social media user wrote: “An honest politician.”
Another said: “Corbyn is right. The whole system is full of nonsense with these rituals but also that the House of Lords is still unelected like it was in the 17th century.”
In the past, MPs have subverted or refused to take the oath of allegiance, often for its connections to the monarchy.
Steven Bonnar, who was until recently MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, caused a storm in 2019 when he crossed his fingers as he made his “solemn affirmation” to the monarch.
In the same year, Mhairi Black – the Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP who did not stand for re-election in 2024 – added caveats when she swore in to Parliament, adding to the official script that her allegiance was “first and foremost” to her Paisley constituents and that she was making the pledge “for the purpose of the job”.
