IN YOUR front page story Children’s oath to Queen (News, last week) Lord Goldsmith states this “could strengthen children’s understanding of what it means to be British”. If he had a stronger understanding of this himself he wouldn’t have proposed something which is exactly what it isn’t to be British. I suspect that most of the children who inhabited a future as envisaged by Goldsmith would have a better appreciation of their culture than he displays, and would be puzzled at the antics they were compelled to perform.

Christopher Bazalgette
Knebworth, Hertfordshire

LOYAL WORDS: It is not about the Queen. If we were a republic we would swear allegiance to the constitution/president/flag. All we are doing is promising to obey the law, which includes the right to free speech and allows you to be a republican. That is the point of a constitutional monarchy: you can be loyal to the Queen as ceremonial head of state but still have every intention of replacing her with a president. Why should immigrants have to swear to obey our laws while children born here do not?

Leo Jones Ashford
Kent

STATE OF THE NATION: I am a lifelong Labour supporter but am disgusted at the way Gordon Brown seems determined to make us as American as possible with flags in gardens and a written constitution. I can only hope we English will stick together and refuse to let anybody damage our quiet confidence.

Elizabeth Smith
Hounslow, Middlesex

SCOUTS’ HONOUR: Scouts already say “I promise to do my duty to the Queen”. Many more would be able to do this if more leaders would come forward to run scout troops.

Brian Shelley
Assistant Commissioner (Scouts)

QUESTION OF FAITH: Can Catholics, in good faith, pledge allegiance to a Protestant monarch? I can’t see Pope Benedict sitting still for this one.

Daniel Howells
Manchester

RURITARIAN CHARADE: If you have to mouth a few words to affirm that you are British, then you are not. I can think of few things more un-British than this ridiculous charade. It may be acceptable in new countries or dictatorships but not in a mature democracy.

If you are British, you know it. If you need cajoling, you are not.

John Naylor
London

UNDEMOCRATIC: I have no problem with my children swearing an allegiance to the flag but I refuse to let them swear allegiance to an unelected head of state. About time we shifted our democracy into the 21st century.

Andrew Gaskell
Milton Keynes

REAL PRIDE: All well and good getting children and immigrants to swear oaths but unless the government starts tackling the real problems that affect us it won’t make a blind bit of difference. When we have an amazing education system, an efficient heath service and a trustworthy government, national pride will follow.

James Cornish
Lancaster University

REFUSENIKS: Does Goldsmith have any plans for children who refuse to take the oath? Will they be excluded, put in detention or made to write out “I love the Queen” 100 times?

George Junior
Bristol

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