Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion/Republic (United Kingdom)

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[edit] Significant press mentions of Republic

Note this is not a list of every mention of Republic. I found more than 70 in total. These are merely the most significant.

  • "Down the Royals! Up the Republic! Opinion polls show growing support for abolishing the monarchy. What would take its place?", subtitled "Roy Greenslade hears a clarion call", The Guardian, 28 March 1994
    • Extract: "The impact of the succession is just one of the many internal debates which made for lively discussionamong republicans and their sceptical guests at the House of Lords dinner. It was organised by Republic, a little-known pressure group founded 11 years ago by Albert Standley, a librarian from Colchester, and Terry Liddle, then a second-hand book salesman from south London.
Like-minded Labour Party supporters and humanists, both found they also agreed that the British monarchy was not only an anachronism but a barrier to a genuinely classless and egalitarian society. So, one foggy night at London Bridge station, they decided to set up Republic. As Liddle says, at the time republicans were viewed as "absolute cranks or unpleasant types questioning a cherished institution". The nation was still basking in the warm glow of the world's most expensive piece of medieval street theatre; the 1981 wedding of Charles and Diana. Thatcher was running the country from Parliament as if she were queen. There was little open support for Republic's broad aims: abolition of the monarchy and lords, the end of all hereditary public office, disestablishment of the Church, sovereignty to be vested in the people and enshrined in a written constitution.
So Republic grew very slowly by word of mouth, maintaining a low-key approach, drawing in centre-left lecturers and the like. That was until three years ago when, says Liddle, "recruitment doubled and last year doubled again". Now membership - from right and left, including MPs and peers - is nearing 1,000, "exceeding our wildest expectations".
The leading lights are now mainly academics. The chairman is Professor Stephen Haseler, sometime GLC Labour councillor, founder member of the Social Democratic Party and prolific author. The title of his latest book, The End Of The House Of Windsor, speaks for itself.
  • Nick Cohen, "Who wants a republic?", Independent on Sunday, 23 October 1994.
  • Cal McCrystal, "Who's for a republic now? Labour and Lib Dem MPs to be polled for their views on future of royalty", Observer, 25 May, 1997
    • Quote: "All Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs will this week receive a letter asking them to declare whether or not they wish to abandon the monarchy in favour of a republic. Professor Steven Haseler, chairman of the pressure group Republic, says he expects a large majority to respond within two weeks, providing an honest indication of Parliament's attitude towards hereditary royalty."
  • David Smith, "Wedding fuels republican surge", Observer, 3 April, 2005
    • Quote: "Republicans scent blood. The wedding this week of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles will trigger a huge campaign by anti- monarchists who believe they glimpse a historic opportunity to become a mainstream political movement. Republic, the leading campaign group on the issue, regards public disaffection with the royal wedding as the best chance in generations to force its message into Parliament. Boosted by growing membership and financial backers, the group has distributed a record 20,000 leaflets with headlines such as 'End the royal farce', and will this week launch its first advertising campaign in national newspapers."

Personally I think this easily satisfies the requirements of notability. Sam Blacketer 22:57, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

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