As King Charles III approaches a year on the throne, questions about his performance are irrelevant, says Lewis - the monarchy needs to be abolished
Sir Keir Starmer has been careful to present Labour as supportive of the monarchy and King Charles III The UK has long had secretly republican politicians. In a 2011 academic study, nine MPs said they had spoken in favour of republicanism publicly, but another 55 privately admitted it was their “personal opinion” that the monarchy should be abolished.
“She was part of a generation associated with the post-war building of the welfare state and the NHS, she was integral to an era that many people looked back on for national identity and as a time of stability. Charles doesn’t have that pedigree, and that makes them more vulnerable – but I don’t think that makes them weak.”
On the face of it, Lewis can understand why the monarchy is not a priority. “For most people, the cost of living crisis, the climate crisis, feeling desperate and going to a food bank or being in a precarious job or coming out of university with £80,000 of debt means that academic conversations about a monarchy seem really far away from real life,” he says.
Labour has advocated abolishing the House of Lords and replacing it with a reformed upper chamber; there is widespread disquiet about the honours system; and in Scotland the SNP is still pushing for independence. Lewis believes that constitutional issues like these, concerning “the fabric of the country”, will steadily prompt more people to begin questioning the monarchy as part of a wider debate about British democracy.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Utter disgrace': Clive Myrie reveals family Windrush scandal pain after brothers denied rightsMyrie said that his relatives were unable to access healthcare and benefits because the Government claimed there was insufficient evidence they were British
Read more »
Clive Myrie's dying brother 'blocked from land of birth' amid Windrush scandalClive was born and raised in Bolton, Greater Manchester, but was the son of Windrush generation parents, who moved to the UK with his older siblings
Read more »