Catholic Union Deputy Director, James Somerville-Meikle, writes:
With all the news going on in the world, you might not have noticed that the King prorogued Parliament this week.
The Prorogation ceremony took place on Thursday, with five Royal Commissioners doffing their hats and reading a proclamation from the King. Interestingly, two members of the Royal Commission – the Lords Speaker, Lord McFall and the Leader of the Lords, Lord True – are Catholic.
Prorogation marks the end of one session of Parliament ahead of another, with the King’s Speech and State Opening of Parliament due to take place on Tuesday 7 November. It was the State Opening of Parliament on 5 November 1605 that Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators targeted.
To this day, the Yeomen of the Guard, the royal bodyguards, ceremonially search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster on the night before State Opening checking for signs of explosives.
If commentators are correct then there is unlikely to be anything explosive in the content of the King’s Speech this year, which is of course written by the Government. New Bills on AI regulation, LBGT conversion therapy, and criminal justice have all been suggested.
Whatever the next session of the Parliament brings, we will continue to give a voice to Catholics in a productive and peaceful way!