| Republic | |
|---|---|
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| Formation | 1983/2006 |
| Purpose/focus | Political advocacy |
| Headquarters | London |
| Region served | United Kingdom |
| Executive Chair | Emily Robinson |
| Main organ | Board of directors |
| Affiliations | Common Cause, Alliance of European Republican Movements |
| Website | Republic |
Republic is a British non-partisan republican pressure group advocating the replacement of the United Kingdom's monarchy with an elected head of state.
It is a member organisation of Common Cause and the Alliance of European Republican Movements and is currently the only organisation solely campaigning for a republican constitution for Britain.
Republic states that its mission is: "To mount a successful campaign to persuade a majority of voters to support the replacement of hereditary monarchy with a democratic republican constitution."[1]
Emily Robinson is current Executive Chair and Graham Smith is the current Chief Executive Officer of Republic.[2]
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[edit] History
Originally created by a small group of republicans in London in 1983 Republic was reinvented as a campaigning pressure group in 2006, when it became formally set up as a limited company (Republic Campaign Ltd) with a board of directors and Executive Office.
During the lead up to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton Republic claimed to have around 14,000 registered supporters,[citation needed] up from around 7000 in November 2010.[citation needed]. By May 2012 this number had increased to 21,000 during the lead up to the Queen's jubilee of that year.
Chair
- 2010 - present: Emily Robinson
- 2010 (July-October): Gareth Robson
- 2004 - 2010: John Campbell
- 1994 - 2004: Stephen Haseler
[edit] Campaigns and issues
[edit] Royal finances
Republic asserts that there is a lack of transparency and accountability with respect to the funding of the monarchy. The group believes the royal finances should be independently audited by the National Audit Office, like all other central government departments, and that the monarchy's exemption from the Freedom of Information Act should be removed.
Republic's response to the annual royal finance reports is reported in the media.[3] In 2009, while Buckingham Palace claimed the total cost of the monarchy to be £41.5m, Republic estimated the figure at £183.3 million,[4] once additional costs such as royal security had been taken into account. [5] Republic's calculations do not factor in the income of the Crown Estate, which is transferred to the national coffers; they assert that the Crown Estate is the property of the monarch only in their capacity as Head of State, and thereby state property.
[edit] Prince Charles
Republic regularly criticises Prince Charles for expressing forthright views and lobbying on political issues, which the group says is unconstitutional.[6] It has also called on the British Government to stop subsidising Charles's £16.3m annual income through grants[7] and tax breaks.[8]
[edit] Oaths of allegiance
In 2008 Republic launched a campaign to give republicans an alternative oath of allegiance.[9] The campaign began with an Early Day Motion[10] and was taken up by human rights lawyer Louise Christian.[11]
[edit] Royal wedding
Republic held an alternative street party in London at the 2011 Wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton, "celebrating democracy and people power rather than inherited privilege", along with other events across the UK's major cities. The London event had initially been blocked by Camden Council.[12]
[edit] BBC pro-monarchy bias
Republic has claimed that the BBC displays bias in relation to its reporting of royal matters. The documentary The Diamond Queen was criticised for this: in a letter to the chairman of the BBC Trust, Chris Patten, Graham Smith, the organisation's Chief Executive, argued that the programme breached BBC guidelines on impartiality.[13][14][15]
[edit] Legal context
Advocacy of the replacement of the monarchy with a republic has been an imprisonable offence in law. The Treason Felony Act 1848 prohibits the advocacy of a republic in print. The penalty for such advocacy, even if the republic is to be set up by peaceful means, is lifetime imprisonment. This Act remains in force in the United Kingdom.[16] However, under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Law Lords have held that although the Treason Felony Act remains on the statute books it must be interpreted so as to be incompatible with the Human Rights Act, and therefore no longer prohibits peaceful republican activity. [17]
[edit] Supporters of the Republic campaign
The campaign has had a number of supporters — notably Labour members — in Parliament, including Tony Benn, who in 1991 introduced a Commonwealth of Britain Bill in Parliament.
It currently lists the following MPs as supporters:[18]
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Lords:[18]
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Outside Parliament, Republic lists as supporters:[18]
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[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ About Republic. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
- ^ Staff and Directors. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
- ^ Cost of Royal Family rises £1.5m. BBC, dated 29 June 2009.
- ^ Royal Finances Campaign. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
- ^ Head of State Expenditure, 29 June 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
- ^ Don't be a meddling monarch, Charles. The Guardian, published 17 November 2008.
- ^ Public funds for Charles top £3m. BBC, dated 23 June 2009.
- ^ Thompson, Lauren (24 April 2009). "Prince Charles gets new tax break amid furore of Budget". The Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/tax/article6160323.ece. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ Challenge the Oath. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
- ^ Now MPs want to ditch 500-year oath of allegiance to the Queen. The Daily Mail, published 8 August 2008.
- ^ MPs' Queen oath faces legal fight. BBC, dated 15 August 2008.
- ^ "Making a stand against the royal wedding". BBC News. 28 April 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13214984.
- ^ BBC royal series The Diamond Queen biased, Republic says, BBC News
- ^ BBC's jubilee documentary 'one-sided', says republican pressure group, Ben Dowell, The Guardian, 24 February 2012
- ^ Letter from Graham Smith to Chris Patten, at the Republic website (accessed 25 February 2012)
- ^ Clare Dyer (June 27, 2003). "Guardian vindicated in treason case". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,985915,00.html.
- ^ R. (Rusbridger) v. Attorney General [2003] UKHL 38; [2004] AC 357; [2003] 3 All ER 784.
- ^ a b c Republic: Our Supporters Include.... Retrieved 23 February 2010.
[edit] External links
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