Scottish Militia Bill

The Scottish Militia Bill (known formerly as the Scotch Militia Bill) is the usual name given to a bill that was passed by the House of Commons and House of Lords of the Parliament of Great Britain in early 1708. However, on 11 March 1708,[1] Queen Anne withheld royal assent on the advice of her ministers for fear that the proposed militia created would be disloyal.[2]

Content

The Bill's long title was An Act for settling the Militia of that Part of Great Britain called Scotland. Its object was to arm the Scottish militia, which had not been recreated at the Restoration. This happened as the unification between Scotland and England under the Acts of Union 1707 had been passed.

On the day the Bill was meant to be signed, news came that the French were sailing toward Scotland, and there was suspicion that the Scottish might be disloyal. Therefore, support for a veto was strong.

Significance

The Scottish Militia Bill was the last bill to be refused royal assent. Before this, King William III had vetoed Bills passed by Parliament six times. Royal assent to Bills and governments generally came to be viewed as a mere formality once both Houses of Parliament had successfully read a Bill three times, or a general election had taken place.

In the British colonies, use of the Royal veto had continued past 1708, and was one of the primary complaints of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776: that the King "has refused his Assent to Laws, most wholesome and necessary for the public Good" and "He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing Importance".

Today it is debatable whether this veto power remains with the Monarch, as the power has not been exercised for so long.[3]

Notes

  1. ↑ <!-No by-line.-->. "Parliaments: 1705". The History of Parliament. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 6 November 2016. On 11 Mar. 1708, when the Queen attended the Lords to give assent to several bills, she used her prerogative of veto against one, the bill for settling the Scottish militia.
  2. ↑ Queen Anne's veto is recorded as "La Reine se avisera" in 18 H.L. Jour. 506 (1707).
  3. ↑ A Brief Chronology of the House of Commons at www.parliament.uk (This contains some inaccuracies)

References

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