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Republic
Formation	1983
Purpose/focus	Political advocacy
Headquarters	Brighton
Region served	United Kingdom
Executive Chair	John Campbell
Main organ	Board of directors
Affiliations	Republic Scotland, Challenge the Oath
Website	Republic

Republic is a British non-partisan republican pressure group advocating the replacement of the United Kingdom's monarchy with a democratically-elected head of state.

It is a member organisation of Common Cause and is currently the only organisation solely campaigning for a republican constitution for Britain.

Republic states that its mission is:

• to mount a successful campaign to persuade a majority of voters to support the replacement of our hereditary monarchy with an elected head of state.
• having done so, to participate in and try to guide the process of change.
• to promote democratic republican forms of government, and to facilitate a debate on the best model for a future republic.^[1]

Graham Smith is the current Campaign Manager of Republic.^[2]

Contents 1 Campaigns and issues 1.1 Royal Finances 1.2 Prince Charles 1.3 Oaths of Allegiance 2 Legal context 3 Supporters of the Republic Campaign 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Campaigns and issues

[edit] Royal Finances

Republic claims that there is a lack of transparency and accountability with respect to the funding of the monarchy. The group believes the royal finances should be independently audited by the National Audit Office, like all other central government departments, and that the monarchy's exemption from the Freedom of Information Act should be removed.

Republic's rebuttal to the annual royal finance reports is reported in the media.^[3] In 2009, Republic estimated the total cost of the monarchy to be £183.3 million,^[4] once additional costs such as security are taken into account. Buckingham Palace claims the figure is £41.5 million,^[5] and Republic's calculations do not factor in the income of the Crown Estate, which is transferred to the national coffers.

[edit] Prince Charles

Republic regularly criticises Prince Charles for expressing forthright views on political issues, which the group says is "unconstitutional".^[6] It has also called on the British Government to stop subsidising Charles's work through grants^[7] and tax breaks. ^[8]

[edit] Oaths of Allegiance

In 2008, Republic launched a campaign to give republicans an alternative oath of allegiance.^[9] The campaign began with an Early Day Motion^[10] and was taken up by human rights lawyer Louise Christian.^[11]

[edit] Legal context

Advocacy of the replacement of the monarchy with a republic has traditionally been an imprisonable offence. The Treason Felony Act 1848 prohibits the advocacy of a republic in print. The penalty for committing the crime of such advocacy is lifetime imprisonment, even if such advocacy is by peaceful means. This Act remains in force in the United Kingdom.^[12] However, under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Law Lords have held that although the Treason Felony Act remains on the statute books, it must be interpreted so as to be compatible with the Human Rights Act, and therefore no longer prohibits peaceful republican activity. ^[13]

[edit] Supporters of the Republic Campaign

The Campaign claims to have supporters — mainly Labour members — in Parliament, including Tony Benn, who in 1991 introduced a Commonwealth of Britain Bill in Parliament.

It currently lists the following MPs as supporters^[14]:

• Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat)
• Russell Brown (Labour)
• Michael Clapham (Labour)
• Jeremy Corbyn (Labour)
• David Crausby (Labour)
• Ian Davidson (Labour)
• Bill Etherington (Labour)
• Paul Flynn (Labour)
• George Galloway (Respect)
• Roger Godsiff (Labour)
• Kelvin Hopkins (Labour)
• Brian Iddon (Labour)
• Glenda Jackson (Labour)
• Lynne Jones (Labour)
• Andrew MacKinlay (Labour)
• Bob Marshall-Andrews (Labour)
• Jim McGovern (Labour)
• Ann McKechin (Labour)
• Doug Naysmith (Labour)
• Stephen Pound (Labour)
• Gordon Prentice (Labour)

Lords^[14]:

• George Foulkes (Labour)
• Roy Hattersley (Labour)
• Gwilym Prys Davies (Labour)
• Dick Taverne (Liberal Democrat)

Outside Parliament, Republic lists as supporters:^[14]

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown; journalist Julian Baggini; philosopher Steve Bell; political cartoonist Tony Benn; former Labour MP and cabinet member John Biggs; London Assembly member (Labour); Honor Blackman; actress Jo Brand; comedienne Piers Brendon; historian Julie Burchill; writer Beatrix Campbell; writer Jon Canter; television scriptwriter Louise Christian; human rights lawyer Nick Cohen; political author and commentator John Cole; former BBC Political Editor Stan Collymore; former England footballer Roseanna Cunningham MSP (Scottish National Party) Richard Dawkins; evolutionary biologist Linda Fabiani; Scottish minister MSP (Scottish National Party) Simon Fanshawe; writer and broadcaster Jonathan Freedland; journalist and author Rob Gibson MSP (Scottish National Party) Christine Grahame MSP (Scottish National Party) Paul Greengrass; film director and writer Roy Greenslade; media commentator and academic Philippa Gregory; historical novelist John Griffiths Welsh Assembly member (Labour) Mark Haddon; novelist Johann Hari; writer Stephen Haseler; constitutionalist Anthony Holden; journalist, broadcaster and writer Ted Honderich; philosopher Mick Hume; journalist Bethan Jenkins; Welsh Assembly member (Plaid Cymru)

Patrick Jones; poet, playwright and filmmaker Kitty Kelley; American author Mike Leigh; director and writer Ken Loach; director Tim Lott; author Caroline Lucas MEP (Green) Kenan Malik; writer, lecturer and broadcaster Michael Mansfield, QC; human rights lawyer Chris McLaughlin; journalist Paul Merton; comedian Brendan O'Neill; journalist Julia Pascal; playwright and theatre director Caryl Phillips; novelist Stephen Pollard; journalist and author Claire Rayner; journalist and author Brian Reade; journalist Vicky Richardson; journalist Justice Geoffrey Robertson, QC Steven Rose; biologist Michael Rosen; broadcaster, children's novelist and poet Mark Seddon; journalist Will Self; writer Paul Simonon; The Clash bass guitarist Joan Smith; novelist and journalist Mark Steel; writer and comedian Peter Tatchell; human rights activist Adam Tomkins; public law scholar Sue Townsend; novelist Polly Toynbee; journalist and author Jonathan Trigell; author Graham Watson MEP (Liberal Democrat); Francis Wheen; journalist, writer and broadcaster Peter Whelan; playwright Sandra White MSP (Scottish National Party) Leanne Wood; Welsh Assembly member (Plaid Cymru) Benjamin Zephaniah; author.

[edit] See also

• Republicanism in the United Kingdom

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.republic.org.uk/about
2. ^ http://www.republic.org.uk/staff
3. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8124022.stm
4. ^ http://www.republic.org.uk/financescampaign
5. ^ http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/Pressreleases/2009/HeadofStateExpenditure29June2009.aspx
6. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/nov/17/prince-charles-monarchy
7. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8114523.stm
8. ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/tax/article6160323.ece
9. ^ http://www.republic.org.uk/challengetheoath
10. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1042737/Now-MPs-want-ditch-500-year-oath-allegiance-Queen.html
11. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7562949.stm
12. ^ Clare Dyer (June 27, 2003). "Guardian vindicated in treason case". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,985915,00.html. 
13. ^ R. (Rusbridger) v. Attorney General [2003] UKHL 38; [2004] AC 357; [2003] 3 All ER 784.
14. ^ ^{a b c} Republic | Our supporters

[edit] External links

• Official site
• Supporters of the Campaign

v • d • e Republicanism in Commonwealth realms Australia · Barbados  · Canada · New Zealand · United Kingdom Common Cause Australian Republican Movement · Citizens for a Canadian Republic · Republic · Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand