News from the Centre for Citizenship
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First New Zealand Senior Counsel Appointed
New Zealand has appointed the its first Senior Counsel. The title is given to senior barristers (trial lawyers) in some former British colonies in place of Queen’s Counsel. Both New Zealand and Australia now use the term, although both have Britain’s hereditary head of state as their national figurehead. The New Zealand republican movement welcomed…
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Monarchy Pays
According to figures published by the Financial Times a 2head of a clan” in the Italian Mafia can expect to make as much as £408,000 a year. Charles Windsor, second in command of Britain’s Windsor clan, took in excess of £16m from the British people last year. No other country is known to provide the…
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BBC Cuts Champagne
The BBC has canceled its champagne order, on which it spent £40,000 of the people’s money last year, amidst fears that the recession will drive more to refuse the £139.50 annual levy that it imposes for permission to watch TV. The feared loss of income is despite the state broadcaster’s recent “Evaders will pay” billboard…
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Australian Poll on Republic Proposed
Australians may vote in the 2010 federal elections on whether their country should become a republic. Green Senator Bob Brown has introduced legislation that would require the poll. The Greens hope that proposing the legislation will help measure public opinion. According to the Ottawa Citizen newspaper 70 per cent of Australians want to end the…
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Republican to Lead New Zealand
Republican John Key will become the prime minister of New Zealand following the success of his National Party in the general election last weekend. Mr. Key has said that it is “inevitable” that his country will become a republic. He believes this might happen when Elizabeth Windsor ceases to be Britain’s hereditary head of state…
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Fairy Tale Continues for British Bankers
The crisis in the world economy has provided another demonstration of the absurdity of Britain’s official class system. Two “knights” and one “lord” have lost their high-powered jobs as a result of the state rescue of British banks. Both Fred Goodwin and Tom McKillop, chief executive and chairman of RBS, have left the bank. Denis…
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State Church Called Hypocritical
Church of England leaders have been accused of hypocrisy for attacks on city traders. According to the Financial Times the state church commissioners “lend foreign stock from their £5.5bn of investments – an essential support for short-selling”. The newspaper also reported that the church had invested £13m in Man Group, the biggest hedge fund manager.…
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Windsors To Be Protected From Unfair Discrimination
Female and Catholic members of the Windsor family will be protected from gemder amd religious discrimination if government proposals becomes law. According to a report in the Guardian newspaper the government intends to ask Parliament to change laws going back 300 years that determine which Windsor should become head of state. At present Catholic members…
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Republican Elected To Lead Australian Liberals
Malcolm Turnball has been elected by 45 to 41 votes to lead the Australian Liberal Party. Mr. Turnball chaired the Australian Republican movement in the 1990s. When the referendum on a republic was lost he said that the then Liberal prime minister, John Howard would be remembered for “only one thing: he was the prime…
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Republican Tipped To Be NZ Prime Minister
“Many New Zealanders . . . think it inevitable Mr. (John) Key will be the next prime minister” according to the Financial Times. Mr. Key is a republican who has said that it is “inevitable” that his country would become a republic. He thought that this might happen when Britain changes its feudal head of…