Trouble over Gordon Brown's plan to let royal heirs wed Catholics

GORDON Brown was hit by a backlash today against plans to tackle discrimination against Catholics and women in royal succession laws.

Leading Catholic MP Ann Widdecombe warned that Britain's identity as a Christian nation could be destroyed by amending 300-year-old legislation which stops the monarch or heir to the throne marrying a Catholic.

The Church of England raised concerns about the "potential consequences" of reforming the Act of Settlement 1701.

Senior Tory MP Edward Leigh also signalled he would oppose new laws to end the practice of male heirs taking precedence in the royal line of succession.

However, MPs from all three parties lined up in the Commons to support a Private Member's Bill to abolish the restrictions on royal marriages and give equal succession rights for women.

Mr Brown has revealed that the Government and Palace are in talks on the issue, which he is to raise with Commonwealth leaders in November.

However, ministers refused to back the Bill, brought forward by Liberal Democrat MP Evan Harris, and they won support from Tory leader David Cameron who said that any reforms should not be rushed.

Ms Widdecombe, MP for Maidstone and the Weald, led opposition to the Bill, saying: "If we get rid of the provision that the heir to the throne and the monarch can't marry a Catholic, we will undermine the link between the monarchy and the Church of England which will threaten the establishment of the Church taking with it our last figleaf that we are a Christian country."

Tory MP Peter Luff, an Anglican, echoed her worries, saying: "I fear changing these laws will lead to the disestablishment of the Church of England."

Catholic MP Mr Leigh, whose son Benedict is 640th in line to the throne, dismissed arguments that the laws could not be swiftly overhauled because nine Acts of Parliament would need to be amended and at least 15 Commonwealth countries consulted.

He said the Government had hinted it would legislate quickly if Prince William was to marry a Catholic and such discrimination would not be tolerated against Jews or Muslims.

The Church of England called for "a full assessment of all the potential consequences" of any changes. A No 10 spokesman said there was "no question" of the Church being disestablished.