News from the Centre for Citizenship

Outgoing labour party general secretary David Triesman has been made a legislator-for-life in the House of Lords on the recommendation of prime minister Tony Blair. Mr. Triesman refused to comment to the press on whether the seat in parliament was a part of a compensation package for the loss of his job. It has also…

New members must not be required to swear an oath of loyalty to Liz Windsor, the matriarch of Britain’s Windsor family, The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) has been told. The ruling was issued by the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commission. Commissioner Jocelyn Scutt said that this was “the first decision of its kind relating…

Three businessmen who have donated cash to the Conservative Party are likely to be made legislators-for-life, according to a report in the Financial Times. Leonard Sternberg, one of the donors, is expected to make another, seven figure, donation shortly, the newspaper said. Sternberg gave £110,000 to the party last year. If the report is accurate…

Despite causing derision and bafflement Britain’s system of awarding honours is not to be changed, according to a government announcement. This is despite an official review finding that the highly stratified system of state awards is failing in it’s supposed objective of “making the country feel good about itself”. The government has decided that change…

The BBC state media giant is setting up a freedom of information team. According to press adverts the team’s purpose is to help the Corporation comply with the Freedom of Information Act. It is illegal in Britain to receive terrestrial, satellite, cable or Internet TV broadcasts without permission from the BBC. The Freedom of Information…

According to a report in the Financial Times “questions over multi-million dollar payments to Lord Black and other Hollinger (newspaper) executives – totalling just under $300m – are likely to signal the end of the maverick publisher’s attempts to become one of the world’s most influential newspaper proprietors.” Former Canadian Conrad Black is a Lord…

In one of the more telling incidents in the brouhaha surrounding the suppression of news reports concerning Charles Windsor and his former chief of staff, Trevor Phillips, chairperson of the Commission for Racial Equality, has appeared on Channel Four’s 7 o’clock news to defend the futile attempts to stop publication. Labour Party member Mr. Phillips,…

Six out of twelve of the so-called Law Lords have opposed the separation of Britain’s supreme court of appeal from the legislature. In their response to government proposals for an independent supreme court the six unelected legislators complain that they will not be able to advise other legislators if they do not sit in the…

The Returned and Services League of Australia Limited (RSL) has been found to be discriminating against republicans by refusing membership to applicants who will not swear allegiance to Liz Windsor, Britain’s hereditary head of state. The Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Tribunal found that Donald Buchanan, who had been refused membership of the veterans’ league, had been discriminated…

Nigel Farage, UK Independence Party member of the European Parliament, has urged that queen Windsor dissolve Britain’s parliament to prevent British approval of a proposed new constitution for the European Union. An alternative suggestion from Mr. Farage was that Windsor refuse to sign legislation approving the new constitution, according to the Sun newspaper. Constitutional historian…