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In 1880, Bradlaugh was elected as the Liberal MP for [[Northampton]]. His attempt to affirm as an atheist, rather than take a parliamentary Oath of Allegiance which assumed a new MP was a Christian (and a Monarchist), ultimately led to his temporary imprisonment, fines for voting in the Commons illegally, and a number of by-elections at which Bradlaugh regained his seat on each occasion. He was finally allowed to take an oath in 1886. Eventually, a parliamentary bill which he proposed became law in 1888 which allowed members of both Houses of Parliament to affirm, if they so wished, when being sworn in. The new law also resolved the issue for witnesses in civil and criminal court cases.

In 1880, Bradlaugh was elected as the Liberal MP for [[Northampton]]. His attempt to affirm as an atheist, rather than take a parliamentary Oath of Allegiance which assumed a new MP was a Christian (and a Monarchist), ultimately led to his temporary imprisonment, fines for voting in the Commons illegally, and a number of by-elections at which Bradlaugh regained his seat on each occasion. He was finally allowed to take an oath in 1886. Eventually, a parliamentary bill which he proposed became law in 1888 which allowed members of both Houses of Parliament to affirm, if they so wished, when being sworn in. The new law also resolved the issue for witnesses in civil and criminal court cases.

==References==

==Primary sources==

*Arnstein, Walter L. (1962)  "Gladstone and the Bradlaugh Case," ''Victorian Studies,'' (1962) 5#4 pp 303–330

*Arnstein, Walter L. (1962)  "Gladstone and the Bradlaugh Case," ''Victorian Studies,'' (1962) 5#4 pp 303–330

*Arnstein, Walter L. (1965) ''The Bradlaugh Case: a study in late Victorian opinion and politics.'' Oxford University Press. (2nd ed. with new postscript chapter published as ''The Bradlaugh Case: Atheism, Sex and Politics Among the Late Victorians'', University of Missouri Press, 1983. ISBN 0-8262-0425-2)

*Arnstein, Walter L. (1965) ''The Bradlaugh Case: a study in late Victorian opinion and politics.'' Oxford University Press. (2nd ed. with new postscript chapter published as ''The Bradlaugh Case: Atheism, Sex and Politics Among the Late Victorians'', University of Missouri Press, 1983. ISBN 0-8262-0425-2)

*Robertson, J.M. (1920). ''Charles Bradlaugh''. London, Watts & Co.

*Robertson, J.M. (1920). ''Charles Bradlaugh''. London, Watts & Co.

*Tribe, David (1971) ''President Charles Bradlaugh MP''. London, Elek. ISBN 0-236-17726-5

*Tribe, David (1971) ''President Charles Bradlaugh MP''. London, Elek. ISBN 0-236-17726-5

[[Category:Atheists]]

[[Category:Atheists]]

[[Category:British History]]

[[Category:British History]]