News from the Centre for Citizenship

According to a report in the Guardian newspaper the Labour Party’s Fabian Society will recommend that the link between Britain’s hereditary head of state and the Church of England be ended. But the report of the Society’s so-called commission on the future of the monarchy is said not to recommend that the British monarchy be…

The government has announced major steps towards the separation of powers in Britain. The office of Lord Chancellor, which combined executive, legislative and judicial functions, is to be abolished. And a supreme court is to be established outside the legislature. The office of Lord Chancellor has existed for 800 years and in other forms for…

The Chair of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM), Professor John Warhurst, said today that the Republic was back on the public agenda. “The events of recent weeks have demonstrated that the Australian people have lost confidence in the office of the Governor General. The system is clearly broken and needs to be replaced. The resignation…

Five thousand businesses in the City of London are to be enfranchised in local elections. They will join the 11, 000 sole traders and partnerships that have the vote already. There are only 6000 City residents entitled to vote. Small businesses will have one vote. Those with 50 or more staff will be entitled to…

Charlie Windsor, who is entitled to inherit the office of head of state on the death of his mother, has decided that British taxpayers should pay £4.6M to do-up his dead grandmother’s old London home, Clarence House. Mr. Windsor will live there when not staying at his Scottish castle, London palace or Gloucestershire mansion.

The resignation of the Governor-General of Australia has put the freeing of that country from the British monarchy back on the public agenda, according to the Australian Republican Movement (ARM). Dr. Peter Hollingworth stepped down as Liz Windsor’s representative and head of state in Australia following a scandal involving an allegation of rape and criticism…

A bill to remove the remaining 92 hereditary legislators for life will be introduced in the next session of parliament, according to a report in the Telegraph newspaper. The bill would also establish a commission to appoint new legislators-for-life. Ten Conservative Party legislators would lose their seats if the bill was passed. Among them would…

The attorney general is to ask the Law Lords to hear his appeal against a lower court decision that allowed a challenge to the Treason Felony Act to proceed. The Act makes it unlawful for anyone to call in print for replacement of Britain’s monarchy by a democratic system. The Guardian newspaper is asking the…

A vacant seat in Britain’s legislature is to be filled by an election in which only hereditary legislators may vote. Only hereditary holders of the feudal title of “Lord” may stand in this election. There have been 81 nominations for the election to be held later this month. Most are conservative party supporters, with two…

According to a report in the News of the World newspaper, Britain’s heir to head of state, Charles Windsor is anti-American and is opposed to the American led war against the Baathist regime in Iraq. Although Mr. Windsor is supposedly colonel-in-chief of the Parachute Regiment, in which he has never served, he gave what the…