| Republic | |
|---|---|
| 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 a democratically-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:
Graham Smith is the current Campaign Manager of Republic.[2]
Contents |
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, up from around 7000 in November 2010.
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.
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]
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]
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]
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.[13] 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. [14]
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:[15]
|
|
Lords:[15]
|
|
Outside Parliament, Republic lists as supporters:[15]
|
|
|
||||||||