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Swearing an oath to British values.



AmexRuislip

Trainee Spy 🕵️‍♂️
Feb 2, 2014
33,727
Ruislip
Your thoughts :)

Thousands of people could have to swear oath of allegiance to British values
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said civic and political leaders should 'lead by example' and this could include swearing an oath to abide by British values.

Every public office-holder should swear an oath of allegiance to British values, the communities secretary Sajid Javid has said.

The pledge would cover elected officials, civil servants, and council workers, but could also be extended to NHS and BBC staff.

The proposal is a response to a report on social cohesion by Dame Louise Casey, which said some sections of society did not accept British values such as tolerance.

Writing in the Sunday Times, Mr Javis said he was “drawn” to Dame Louise’s recommendation to bring in an oath of allegiance because it was impossible for people to play a “positive role” in public life unless they accepted basic values such as democracy and equality.

“If we are going to challenge such attitudes, civic and political leaders have to lead by example.

We can’t expect new arrivals to embrace British values if those of us who are already here don’t do so ourselves, and such an oath would go a long way to making that happen.”

The oath could include phrases such as “tolerating the views of others even if you disagree with them”, as well as “believing in freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from abuse ... a belief in equality, democracy, and the democratic process” and “respect for the law, even if you think the law is an ass.”

The plans have been condemned, however, as being superficial and divisive. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Lord Brian Paddick said: "Forcing public servants to swear an oath to British values would be both superficial and divisive.

"We should be talking about the universal values that unite us, not using nationalistic terms that exclude people.

"The Government must focus on integrating those small pockets of people living in segregated communities.

"Instead they are creating hostility towards all minority communities, the vast majority of whom want to be an integrated part of the United Kingdom."

Labour's shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the move would not combat radicalisation.

She told Sky News: "I have nothing against it in principle, but it will not make a difference to the problems of radicalisation, or integration.

"I don't think the oath will make any verifiable difference."

Former chancellor George Osborne hailed the idea as a "great initiative", and ex-culture secretary John Whittingdale also said he supported the oath.

In her report, Dame Louise said that immigrants should have more access to English language classes and be made to take an “oath of allegiance” to improve integration efforts.

The review was set up in 2015 by the then Prime Minister David Cameron to consider what could be done to boost integration in isolated and deprived communities.

Dame Louise said there were areas that were struggling to cope with the pace and scale of change they faced as a result of immigration while there were still large social and economic gaps between different ethnic groups.

In particular, she highlighted the plight of women who found themselves marginalised through poor English language skills while being subjected to “coercive control, violence and criminal acts of abuse, often enacted in the name of cultural or religious values”.

In a wide-ranging set of recommendations the review called for more English classes for isolated groups, greater mixing among young people through activities such as sport, and a new “oath of integration” enshrining British values for all holders of public office.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-to-swear-an-oath-of-allegiance-a7482421.html
 














studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,555
On the Border
Is this not an extension of the oath required by the Army Act 1955 which military personnel have to swear with similar required by the Police and other public workers
While that oath is to the monarch the principle has been long established
 


The Clamp

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jan 11, 2016
24,289
West is BEST
It will definitely stop extremism. People feel included when they are forced to swear oaths to something.
 








Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
I'm as patriotic as anyone and dearly love being British but I'll be buggered if I had to swear an oath to prove my loyalty to this green and pleasant land.

Bloody stupid idea. We're not Yanks, for Pete's sake.
 




Cheshire Cat

The most curious thing..
We will be pledging allegiance to the flag clutching our chests next. Pathetic idea.

Anyway whose "British" values am I supposed to agree with? Because I don't.

Pure thought police concept.

johnbull_0.jpg
PRpeterloo4.JPG
 




fleet

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2003
12,222
The good news is that no one in public office would ever lie when making a public declaration, so this should be fool proof.
 




RexCathedra

Aurea Mediocritas
Jan 14, 2005
3,498
Vacationland
I'm as patriotic as anyone and dearly love being British but I'll be buggered if I had to swear an oath to prove my loyalty to this green and pleasant land.

Bloody stupid idea. We're not Yanks, for Pete's sake.

The only thing we ask for, in the only oaths that matter -- the flag pledge is a.) a joke, b.) a pledge, and c.) cannot be required from anyone (cf. West Virginia v. Barnette) -- naturalization, and service in the military, is that the person pledge to protect the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

For military officers, and public officials, there are appropriate additions.

For details see here -- Oath of Allegiance
 


RexCathedra

Aurea Mediocritas
Jan 14, 2005
3,498
Vacationland
Is this not an extension of the oath required by the Army Act 1955 which military personnel have to swear with similar required by the Police and other public workers
While that oath is to the monarch the principle has been long established

Did they swear a oath to the Sovereign? Or to "British Values"? There's a difference.
 




RexCathedra

Aurea Mediocritas
Jan 14, 2005
3,498
Vacationland
Nearly as off the mark as when he described industrial scale ticket touts as 'classic entrepreneurs.' The man's an idiot.

I don't even see how this looked good on paper.

If you live and work in a certain kind of bubble, it probably looked great on paper.
 









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