The revelation that former Prime Minister Tony Blair has converted to Catholicism and that the Catholic Church has more weekly worshippers than the state Anglican Church has brought increased hope for democratic reform in Britain.
Both the Times and The Financial Times have suggested that this may lead to reform of the Act of Settlement, which bars all who are not Anglicans from the office of head of state.
Writing in The Times William Rees-Mogg, a legislator-for-life and former Tory parliamentary candidate, described reform of the Act as opening "a can of worm". The journalist foresaw it as possibly leading to the minority of British Commonwealth countries that are still monarchies becoming republics, independence for Scotland and Quebec and an end to the precedence that males members of the Windsor family have in the succession to hereditary head of state. "One can see why prime ministers have been so reluctant to open this constitutional question" he wrote.
However, in a conclusion from which opponents of feudalism and supporters of civil rights could take encouragement Mr. Rees-Mogg wrote that "We cannot go on discriminating against women and Catholics. Reforming the Act of Settlement may take as long as reforming the House of Lords, but changes will come, better early than late, better late than never".