Majority of MSPs choose secular affirmation in Holyrood first

All MSPs must swear allegiance to the Monarch before they can take up their roles. The Oaths Act 1978 permits elected officials to choose between a religious oath or a secular affirmation. This allows humanist, atheist, and agnostic politicians, as well as those whose religion forbids them from swearing oaths, to act in line with their beliefs.  

Analysis by Humanist Society Scotland found that 67 MSPs chose to affirm and 62 swore the oath following the 2026 elections. This marks the first time that a majority (52 per cent) of MSPs opted to make a secular affirmation. Broken down by political party, a majority of Green (87 per cent) and SNP (69 per cent) MSPs chose to affirm alongside 41 per cent of Labour and 40 per cent of Liberal Democrat members. In contrast, only three Reform UK MSPs opted for the secular alternative and all 12 Conservatives took the religious oath. 

The figures show an almost complete reversal on the last session of the Parliament (2021-2026), when 68 MSPs swore the oath and 61 affirmed. The 2022 Census found that a majority of people in Scotland (51.1 per cent) said they had no religion for the first time, with fewer than 4 in 10 identifying as Christian.

In response, Humanist Society Scotland policy and campaigns officer Joe Higgins said: “[The] swearing-in ceremony suggests that Scotland has elected its most openly non-religious parliament in history. The decision of most MSPs to opt for a secular affirmation should come as no surprise, given a majority of people now say they have no religion. We welcome this shift towards a parliament that more accurately reflects the diversity of belief in modern Scotland.”  

Full breakdown by party: 

• SNP: 40 affirmations / 18 oaths 
• Labour:  7 affirmations / 10 oaths 
• Reform UK: 3 affirmations / 14 oaths 
• Green: 13 affirmations / 2 oaths 
• Conservative: 0 affirmations / 12 oaths
• Liberal Democrat: 4 affirmations / 6 oaths