Latest news with #OurRepublic
The National
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Anti-monarchy campaigners blast Charles' 'sham' speech
Following Prime Minister Mark Carney's success in the recent election, Charles was invited to deliver the throne speech at the Canadian parliament's opening on Tuesday — the first time a royal has done so in almost 50 years. The speech focused on Canada remaining 'strong and free' in the wake of annexation talks from Trump, and has garnered criticism from the Scottish Greens and campaign group OurRepublic over displays of hypocrisy. READ MORE: 'I wish I never met him': Peter Mandelson 'regrets' relationship with Jeffrey Epstein Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: 'Having a state-subsidised royal family is unjustifiable in 2025. With the cost of living crisis still wreaking havoc on people's lives, the NHS on its knees and austerity damaging public services, we should not be funneling hundreds of millions of pounds to the already super-rich royals. 'This antiquated system has no place in a modern democracy. Scotland would be better off as an independent republic. 'Indeed, opinion polls show more and more people in our nation are coming to this conclusion. It's for every country to make that choice on their own terms, but there's strong support for an elected head of state in Canada too. 'The public are growing increasingly tired of handing the royal family public money on a platter and allowing them to hoard our nation's land and natural resources. By redistributing their wealth and putting public money where it belongs — into public services — we can tackle inequality and truly empower the people of Scotland.' Latest YouGov opinion polls show favourability scores for the royal family in Scotland considerably lower than in England and Wales; King Charles had seven points out of 100, with the royal family in general scoring negative one and the institution of the monarchy as a whole negative seven. READ MORE: What compensation over force-fitting of prepaid energy meters means for you Tristan Grayford, co-founder of monarchy abolition campaign group OurRepublic, said: '[Charles] wants both to appear as a symbol of Canadian independence from the United States, all whilst back at home preparing the banquet tables for an unprecedented second State visit for the American president threatening Canada with annexation. 'The image of Charles as the great diplomat is a sham. There are no values or purpose behind his visits to sit on gold-leafed thrones around the world other than to cling to the last remnants of his personal power and status. 'Not satisfied with lining his billionaire pockets whilst demanding we pay for his extravagant parties here, now the Canadians have to pay up for his trips to play emperor abroad — all while he prepares to host a wannabe emperor who has his eyes on Canadian soil.'
The National
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Scottish Greens call to abolish monarchy ahead of Edinburgh protest
The Republic Day demonstration, organised by anti-monarchy campaign group Our Republic, will take place on Saturday at Calton Hill between 2pm and 4pm. Speakers at the event include National columnist Lesley Riddoch, poet George Gunn, SNP MSP Emma Roddick, Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman and Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie. Anti-monarchy campaigners protest ceremony for King and Queen on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, July 2024 (Image: Republic) Ahead of the event, Harvie said it was becoming 'increasingly unjustifiable' to maintain the monarchy in Scotland, adding that the 'outdated' institution was 'at odds' with the concerns of ordinary people. Harvie said that while people were experiencing widespread inequality through the cost of living crisis and the UK Government's cuts to disability benefits and the Winter Fuel Payment, the royal family has 'never had it so good'. READ MORE: Kate Forbes: This is why I will vote against assisted dying in Scotland The Scottish Greens co-leader added that Scotland has the potential to be an 'modern independent democratic republic', and that the powers of independence would help to tackle such inequality in society. (Image: PA) Commenting, Harvie (above) said: 'There is no place in modern Scotland for the monarchy. 'Our society is experiencing widespread inequality, with the cost of living crisis continuing to push many to the brink. However, it seems the royal family has never had it so good. 'The taxpayer-funded sovereign grant rises year on year. They don't pay capital gains tax, they don't pay corporation tax and they're exempt from stamp duty. They have received millions of pounds of income in rent from the NHS, schools and the armed forces for operating on the vast swathes of land that they own. 'It is completely at odds with the struggles faced by some of our most vulnerable communities. We should not have a system that only benefits the super-rich, while leaving the rest of us to pick up the bill. READ MORE: David Lammy 'must explain if he misled us on Israel arms exports', MPs say 'The monarchy is a profoundly outdated and undemocratic institution. We must have a serious conversation about the country we see ourselves as. 'The idea that we should show this preference for one unaccountable family, who take far more from society than they give, is the exact opposite image of Scotland I would like to see. I believe we can do so much better for the people living in our country. 'Scotland has the potential to be a modern independent democratic republic. It can be a greener and fairer country that redistributes the wealth hoarded by monarchy and the rest of the super-rich, and uses it to the benefit of the many people who are struggling. 'Ultimately, it should be the people of Scotland who are sovereign and I will continue to make the case that with the powers of independence we can tackle the profound inequality that is highlighted by the lifestyle that the royals enjoy.'
The National
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Pro-republic protest to return to Edinburgh this weekend
Republic Day 2025, co-hosted by Scotland's campaign for an elected head of state Our Republic, will take place on Calton Hill this Saturday, May 10 from 2-4pm. The rally — organised alongside fellow campaign group Republic — will combine 'serious political messaging with a welcoming, festival-style atmosphere', featuring peaceful protests, banners and speeches from prominent Scottish political and media figures. Read more: Scottish hotel named the best one of a kind stay in the UK Tristan Grayford, committee member and treasurer of Our Republic, said: 'Two years into his reign Charles continues to cling to a past we need to leave behind. "Handing out titles and favours to his family, setting an example for our political elites that they should be entitled to take whatever they can. "The continued claim to unaccountable, undemocratic power by our aristocracy, from the Lords to the Crown, is toxic to our society - It's time we demanded better; it's time we demanded an end to this.' Read more: Why must BBC make VE Day tribute to ordinary courage about the royals? Speakers listed for the Calton Hill rally include Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie, SNP MSP for Highlands and Islands Emma Roddick, poet George Gunn and broadcaster and National columnist Lesley Riddoch. Our Republic, founded in 2020, hopes Saturday will build on the success of last year's first Republic Day, timed deliberately to coincide with the anniversary of King Charles's coronation. In tandem with the Edinburgh protest, similar events organised by Republic will also take place in England and Wales on Saturday. The London protest will take place in Trafalgar Square, whilst the Welsh rally is scheduled for Cardiff Castle.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chris Kelly Opinion: When ‘Crackers' and I agree, the apocalypse must be nigh
Even in a county apparently confused about its form of government and a country being ransacked by a criminal president and a chainsaw-wielding charlatan, it was a weird week in politics. Lackawanna County judges kicked the task of selecting candidates to replace departed Commissioner Matt McGloin back to the county Democratic Party Machine, essentially restarting a suspect process and setting up a potential legal battle over the preeminence (or impotence) of the county's Home Rule Charter. Meanwhile, in what's left of Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump followed up his traitorous shakedown of Ukraine with an interminable speech that amounted to pornography for Putin and introduced a new false example of frivolous government spending — 'transgender mice.' Congressional Democrats answered Trump's firehose of lies and crackpot claims by 'virtue-signaling' with pickleball paddles imprinted with pithy slogans and T-shirts stamped with 'RESISTANCE.' They responded to the ongoing chainsaw massacre of Our Republic by raiding the bargain bins at Target. Back to Lackawanna County, where an ongoing coup attempt is uniting the strangest of allies. During the public meeting at which the two surviving commissioners accepted McGloin's resignation, Bob 'Cro-MAGA Man' Bolus defended the county Democratic Party Machine's back-door plot to choose McGloin's successor. Then former commissioner and devout MAGA Republican Laureen 'Crackers' Cummings stood up and said this, which I swear I am not making up: 'I am not a Democrat, as everybody knows, but I have to say, and I don't usually agree with anything in The Scranton Times, as everybody knows as well, but Chris Kelly was spot-on,' she said, referring to (last) Sunday's column. 'I see a coup, just as you do.' After the room stopped spinning and the gasps died down, I thanked Cummings for her unexpected but welcome support. We agreed it was likely the last time we would agree on anything. From the start of this farce, county Democratic Party Chairman Chris Patrick has defended the Machine's closed-door selection process by saying, 'We're just following the county's Home Rule Charter.' This is true. To an extent. The section of the charter that addresses vacancies requires the executive committee of the party of the departing official to select three candidates. The party did that, and will do it again, after the court ruled the party jumped the gun. The new deadline is Tuesday. Expect the same old Machine candidates to be on the list. According to the Home Rule Charter, the court appoints one of the candidates to serve out the term temporarily pending 'a special election according to the Laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania' to be held 'at the next primary municipal or general election to permanently fill the vacancy (unless the open term is in its last year).' McGloin's term doesn't expire until 2028. The next primary election is May 20. If the party is 'following the county's Home Rule Charter,' why hasn't Patrick called for a special election? Maybe because of the clause, 'according to the Laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.' Said laws contain no provision for a special election and give the court sole power of replacing a commissioner as long as the appointee is of the same party as the departing official. This conflict between the county's Home Rule Charter and state law was key in the 2000 court case sparked by now-Judge Andy Jarbola's appointment as district attorney after Michael Barrasse left for the bench. The Republican Machine didn't want a special election, either. The Commonwealth Court upheld Jarbola's appointment despite its conflict with the provisions of the Home Rule Charter. I have neither the space nor the legal expertise to explore it deeply here, but it seems the county Democratic Machine is cherry-picking parts of the charter and state law. If they are truly following the county's Home Rule Charter, a special election is in order. If we're not going to follow the county's Home Rule Charter, why have one? Neither the county's Home Rule Charter nor state law contains any mention of 'transgender mice.' They don't exist and only a lunatic could think they do, let alone say so in front of an audience of millions. 'Transgenic mice' do exist and are genetically modified with hormones to study the effects of diseases and vaccines. Either no one in the White House knows how to google, or they saw 'trans' and said, 'Let the Big Guy roll with it.' (FUN FACT: The $8 million Trump claimed he saved by cutting funding for fake 'transgender mice' is $2.7 million less than the $10.7 million his very real golf habit has cost taxpayers this year.) The same reflexive bigotry behind 'transgender' mice reared its pointy head at the Pentagon. Secretary of Defense and DEI Hire Pete Hegseth's ordered purge of 'diversity, equity and inclusion content' from military websites targeted images of the aircraft that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Its name is 'Enola Gay.' Hegseth is living proof that MAGA Republicans are all for DEI, as long as a mediocre white guy is catching a break. And the mess over replacing McGloin is empirical evidence that the county's Home Rule Charter is as outdated and regressive as the Machine politics that continue to place power above the public good. Any time Laureen Cummings and I agree, it's time for a change. I like Laureen. I get along with Bob Bolus, too (in brief encounters). While I abhor their politics as much as they abhor mine, I see them as fellow Americans and children of God who, despite our many differences, want the same thing I do. Attention. CHRIS KELLY, the Times-Tribune columnist, thinks a special election is the best way to replace McGloin. How about you? Contact the writer: ckelly@ @cjkink on X; Chris Kelly, The Times-Tribune on Facebook.
