The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that prohibits certain categories of people from becoming members of the House of Commons. It was an updated version of similar older acts, including the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957.
Some of the prohibited groups at the time the Act first came into effect were:
- judges
- serving regular members of the armed forces
- civil servants
- ordained ministers
- members of legislatures of non-Commonwealth countries (except for Ireland, pursuant to the Disqualifications Act 2000)
This Act has been updated by subsequent legislation. Since the House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001, no clergy except for Church of England bishops (see Lords Spiritual) are now prohibited from serving. Section 10 of this Act was repealed by section 1 of, and Schedule 2 to, that Act.
Famous quotes containing the words house, commons and/or act:
“The lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host, and then a master.”
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931)
“Anybody who enjoys being in the House of Commons probably needs psychiatric care.”
—Ken Livingstone (b. 1945)
“Adolescents may be, almost simultaneously, overconfident and riddled with fear. They are afraid of their overpowering feelings, of losing control, of helplessness, of failure. Sometimes they act bold, to counteract their imperious yearnings to remain children. They are impulsive, impetuous, moody, disagreeable, overdemanding, underappreciative. If you don’t understand them, remember, they don’t understand themselves most of the time.”
—Stella Chess (20th century)