Newly elected SNP MP Lara Bird today appeared to cross her fingers as she swore allegiance to King Charles in the House of Commons, a gesture that has ignited a fierce debate about the meaning of the oath and the limits of parliamentary loyalty.
Oath taken under protest
Ms Bird, who won the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election on 18 June with a majority of more than 5,000 votes over the Conservatives, was one of three new MPs sworn in on Monday. The others were Labour’s Andy Burnham, representing Makerfield, and the Conservative Douglas Lumsden for Aberdeen South. Before reciting the statutory words, Ms Bird told the chamber: “I take this oath only so that I can serve the people of Arbroath and Broughty Ferry. My first allegiance is, and always will be, the sovereign people of Scotland.”
The crossing of her fingers during the pledge – widely interpreted as an attempt to symbolically invalidate or “cancel out” her commitment to the Crown – drew immediate social media backlash, with some users branding her an “ignoramus” and accusing her of having “disgraced herself”. Ms Bird later defended her actions on X, writing: “I took this oath in order to serve the people of Arbroath and Broughty Ferry – and declared that my loyalty will always be to the people of Scotland. It is a privilege to serve and represent our communities as your Member of Parliament.”
The significance of her sovereignty statement
Ms Bird’s declaration that her “first allegiance” lies with the “sovereign people of Scotland” goes to the heart of a long-running constitutional tension between Westminster and the devolved Scottish Parliament. While the SNP as a party officially supports retaining the monarchy in an independent Scotland, many of its elected representatives have expressed republican reservations when taking the oath. Historical precedent shows that SNP MPs have previously stated they take the oath only to serve their constituents, and some have chosen to do so in Gaelic or in other non-standard forms.
The legal requirement to swear allegiance is set out in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 and the Oaths Act 1978. The standard wording is: “I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.” MPs may also make a solemn affirmation, omitting the religious references, or take the oath in the Scottish manner – with an uplifted hand and no sacred text. Failure to take the oath prevents an MP from taking their seat, speaking, voting, or receiving a salary, and can result in a fine and the seat being declared vacant.
Ms Bird has insisted that her gesture was not an attempt to repudiate the oath but to make clear her priorities. She said she was “not the first MP to have done this and I’m confident I won’t be the last”, arguing that it merely highlighted what she called the “Westminster establishment” finding a pledge to constituents offensive. The crossed-fingers act, however, has been interpreted by critics as a deliberate effort to undermine the pledge. Some have pointed to previous attempts by SNP MSPs to drop the oath of allegiance altogether in the Scottish Parliament, a move that has not succeeded.
Background and political context
Ms Bird’s victory in the by-election, triggered by the resignation of former SNP MP Stephen Gethins (who was elected to the Scottish Parliament), saw the party hold the seat and increase its majority from the 2024 general election. During the campaign, the Scottish Conservatives labelled her a “carpetbagger”, citing her previous role as a senior policy advisor for the SNP’s Westminster group based in London and raising questions about her background and accent. Ms Bird responded that she grew up in Angus and Dundee and that her accent varies due to family and work.
A PhD student at King’s College London, studying International Law and Legal Studies, Ms Bird is understood to be the first student from that institution to serve as an MP while still enrolled, though the SNP has indicated she will not be completing her doctoral studies. She is also a qualified barrister.
The other new MPs sworn in on Monday each had their own notable moments. Andy Burnham – who, as Mayor of Greater Manchester, won a parliamentary seat in a by-election – exchanged a lighthearted reference to Monty Python, responding to a shout of “He’s not the messiah!” with “naughty boy”. Douglas Lumsden, the Conservative MP for Aberdeen South, held a Bible while taking the traditional religious oath and emphasised his commitment to defending his constituents and the oil and gas industry.
Ms Bird’s actions have reopened a broader debate about whether the oath of allegiance, in its current form, adequately accommodates MPs who hold republican or nationalist convictions. While the Labour and Conservative benches treated the ceremony as routine, the new SNP MP’s defiant statement and crossed fingers ensure her first day in Parliament will be remembered for more than just the by-election result.
