Having been asked why MPs and Peers are swearing oaths to the new Monarch, I did a bit of digging and was slightly surprised at the result.

Paragraph 8.25 of the current edition of Erskine May reads as follows

“8.25: In the event of the demise of the Crown, Parliament meets immediately, pursuant to the Succession to the Crown Act 1707 … and all Members of both Houses may again take the oath. There is no statutory obligation to take the oath in these circumstances, although it has been the custom of Parliament and continues to be obligatory in the House of Lords.” Continue reading →