Nigel Farage and four other Reform Party representatives are being sworn in at the Palace of Westminster, alongside hundreds more Members of Parliament (MPs) elected on July 4. The Brexit leader says his team are “ready for business.”
MPs are sworn in by offering a traditional oath of allegiance to the monarch, over or while holding the Holy Bible or another religious text:
I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.
A “solemn affirmation” can be offered in place of a sworn oath; an option initially instituted for Quakers and other Christians who do not swear oaths. It is now most popular with atheist politicians:
I do solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare and affirm, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law.
Among the Reform contingent, former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson is the only one with previous experience in Parliament, with Farage joking, “If anything goes wrong today, it’s down to Lee Anderson!”
Farage made his first comments in the House of Commons as members were invited to endorse Sir Lindsay Hoyle as Speaker—typically a less partisan position than in the United States.
He backed the incumbent while chastising his predecessor, John Bercow, for “besmirching” the office by seeking to overturn the Brexit vote after 2016.
We are ready for business. 👊 pic.twitter.com/QDsFnodsrU
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) July 9, 2024
Image taken by @IncMonocle.