Blair rejects Scots bid to reform Act of Settlement

By Simon Caldwell TONY BLAIR has snubbed a unanimous demand from the Scottish Parliament for the repeal of a law which discriminates against Catholics.
A motion tabled by Mike Russell, the Scottish National Party business manager, won total support of politicians of all parties for its call for the repeal of the discriminatory aspects of the 1701 Act of Settlement.
The Act prevents an English monarch — the Supreme Governor of the Church of England — from either becoming or marrying a Catholic. It means an heir to the throne who does marry a Catholic is removed from the line of succession.
Last week's motion said that the "discrimination contained in the Act of Settlement has no place in our modern society".
It won the full backing of the Parliament after the SNP accepted a Labour amendment to recognise that repeal involved complex constitutional issues, making it a reserved matter that could only be altered by Westminster.
4 DowningStreet;however, hinted that the plea was likely to fall on deaf ears because the Government had a huge legislative programme it wished to push through before the next General Election.
"It cannot be a priority for the immediate future," said a spokesman, who also confirmed the Act could eventually be amended.
Downing Street added that it was absurd to suggest Mr Blair supported discrimination against Catholics, since the Prime Minister's wife Cherie is a Catholic and their children — Kathryn, Nick and Ewan — attend Catholic schools. Yet during the debate in Scotland, Mr Russell told MSPs that the Act was an offensive anachronism. "We should not carry down to future generations the prejudices of the past," he said.
"The Act of Settlement and the inclusion of its offensive anti-Catholic prohibitions was a product of its time. But those were different times. We should not allow them to poison our own society."
Even though moves for repeal have the support of Cardinal Thomas Winning, some people believe the struggle is greatest in Scotland because the Catholic vote is more vital there than in England.