Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Commonwealth first as ruler backs law change

The prime minister of St Lucia has backed a bill to change the law governing succession to the throne.

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz put forward a Private Members Bill "to remove any distinction between the sexes in determining the succession of the throne" in Parliament.

It comes ahead of Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton in April.

If the couple's first-born child is a girl, she would not be first in line to become the monarch if they went on to have a son. That is because, under current UK law, females are superseded in the line of succession by younger male siblings.

Now, the Honourable Stephenson King, the prime minister of St Lucia, has become the first leader of a country where the Queen is head of state to agree.

In a letter to Mr Vaz, he wrote: "I am very supportive of the view that succession should not be based on preference of one gender over another. Throughout the world and for centuries, women have proven themselves capable of leading nations."

Under the terms of the Statue of Westminster 1931, 15 countries including Australia, Canada and the West Indies would have to enact the proposals for the reform to succeed. John Key, prime minister of New Zealand, has stated New Zealand would support changes in the royal succession law but has not given his opinion on this specific legislative proposal.

Mr Vaz said: 'It is becoming clear that on the eve of Prince William's wedding there is widespread support for gender equality in the royal succession."



Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503348/s/133c980d/l/0L0Sthisisleicestershire0O0Cnews0CCommonwealth0Eruler0Ebacks0Elaw0Echange0Carticle0E330A69870Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

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