The Centre for Citizenship

News from the Centre for Citizenship

  • Windsors Exempted From Information Law

    Communications with Liz Windsor, Britain’s hereditary head of state, and her family have been exempted from the Freedom of Information Act, which came into force at the start of 2005. The exemption was given to the Windsors despite a claim by the minister responsible for the new Act, Charles Falconer, that there would be “no…

  • Licence Decriminalisation Urged By MPs

    The House of Commons committee on the “media” has said it should not be a criminal offence to watch television without a licence. At present a maximum fine of £1000 can be imposed for watching TV without the permission of the BBC. If the law is changed in the way the committee recommended failure to…

  • Labour Attack on Free Speech for Republicans

    In another demonstration of the systematic discrimination against republicans in Britain, Welsh Assembly member Leanne Wood was expelled from the assembly chamber on Wednesday for referring to Britain’s hereditary head of state as “Mrs. Windsor.” The expulsion was ordered by the assembly presiding officer Elis-Thomas (who uses the feudal title of “Lord”) following a complaint…

  • Another Ten Years of TV Licence

    British TV viewers are likely to be required to pay the BBC for permission to watch TV for at least another ten years, according to Terry Burns, a government adviser on television. Mr. Burns (who uses the feudal title of “Lord”) has stated that there is widespread support for the licence system but that it…

  • New Zealand To Review Constitution

    New Zealand prime minister Helen Clarke has announced a select committee enquiry into that country’s constitution. It will be chaired by United Future leader and republican Peter Dunne. His report is not expected to lead to any immediate change. Republicans in New Zealand hope, however, that the enquiry will provide a forum for discussion of…

  • Chump Charlie Faults Aspiration

    It has been disclosed that Charlie Windsor, who is due to become Britain’s head of state when his mother dies, seems to acknowledge that being his mother’s son may not make him fit to hold the nation’s highest public office. In a confidential memo produced during an employment tribunal hearing he asked “What is wrong…

  • Support for BBC Falls

    The percentage of those who would rather the BBC shut it’s doors than pay it £120 a year for permission to watch TV, has increased from 10% to 19% since 1990 according to research commissioned by the state media giant. Only 40% said they would willingly pay £240 to keep the corporation going. Those surveyed…

  • BBC Youth Channel Flop

    Despite expenditure of £99m last year the BBC3 digital channel achieved an audience share of 0.7 per cent. Only 1 per cent of it’s target audience of 25 – 34 year olds watched the so-called youth channel. The channel is financed by the BBC’s tax on all TV viewers.

  • Tax For Second BBC Threatened

    Media watchdog Ofcom is proposing that TV viewers be taxed another £300m on top of the £2.6m taken by the BBC state media giant. The tax would pay for another public service media organisation that would offer what the Financial Times described as “a pool of digital content” rather than scheduled programmes. No one in…

  • Legislators-for-Life May Go

    The Labour Party will promise in its election manifesto to legislate for the election of most legislators in the second chamber of parliament, according to press reports. Most legislators in the House of Lords would be chosen by indirect election. The rest would still be appointed and it is not cleared whether these would be…