‘Woke’ Labour republicans say Britain faces a ‘future with a white privileged male’ as head of state for the next century at fringe conference event after the Queen’s death

• Dozens of ‘woke’ republicans have already begun agitating against the Crown 
• Fringe event warned against ‘white privileged male’ as head of state 
• They argued for a British republic just weeks after the Queen’s death 
• The Queen’s funeral: All the latest Royal Family news and coverage

Dozens of ‘woke’ republicans including a Labour MP have begun agitating for the abolition of the monarchy as they warned against a future with a ‘white, privilege male’ as head of state for the next century – just weeks after the Queen’s death.

At a fringe event at the Labour Conference in Liverpool last night, guests including Richard Burgon heard activists claim that power by ‘accident of birth’ is ‘incompatible’ with the Labour Party’s democratic values as they made the case for a British republic.

Panelists leading the debate included author Paul Richards, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee and Dr Adam Tucker, a specialist in constitutional law at the University of Liverpool.

The discussion mainly focused on the future of the monarchy, a topic which has split the party in recent days as Corbynites slammed Keir Starmer’s decision for the national anthem to be sung at the conference.

Labour MP Richard Burgon, member of Labour’s left-wing Socialist Campaign Group, was one of the member’s who attended the fringe event

A leaflet provided at the event warned that Britain faces a future with a ‘white, privileged male’ as head of state at least until the end of the century

Mr Richards drew a laugh from the audience as he opened his own address by welcoming them to ‘naughtiest fringe meeting’ of the conference.

The MP, a member of Labour’s Left-wing Socialist Campaign Group, hit back at criticisms earlier this week that it was ‘terribly inappropriate’ to discuss at the conference whether the monarchy should be abolished in the wake of the Queen’s passing.

He said: ‘In 1993 the law was changed so that the monarch wouldn’t pay inheritance tax on private assets… as opposed to state assets – so private assets.

‘I think these are still legitimate matters of inquiry. And people who respect the Queen’s service… can still hold these views. It’s not an insult to anybody. It’s a legitimate discussion in a democratic society.’

It comes a day after former Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned current Labour leader Keir Starmer’s plans for the for the party to sing the national anthem at its annual conference.

Mr Corbyn said the plan for party members to sing God Save The King at the conference in Liverpool was ‘very, very odd’.

It comes a day after former Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned current Labour leader Keir Starmer’s plans for the for the party to sing the national anthem at its annual conference

The former Labour Party leader suggested singing the anthem was ‘excessively nationalist’.

Keir Starmer and party bosses took the decision for the national anthem to be sung at the Labour conference for the first time in its history following the death of the Queen earlier this month and the accession of King Charles III to the throne. 

Ms Toynbee told the event that she would have liked the Queen to be ‘Elizabeth the last’ but suggested it would not be a good idea for Labour to call for the abolition of the monarchy at the next general election.

She said: ‘Our job is to persuade people gradually, which is working as the tide is moving slowly and in a republican direction, until such a time there’s a majority of people also want to open up the whole issue, have a proper discussion about it.

‘There is of course never a right time, because either Queen Elizabeth is alive and that’s not a very good idea or she’s died and then that’s not a very good idea, either. So there never is a perfect time to talk about this.

Labour leader Keir Starmer arrives at the Labour Party conference yesterday afternoon

‘I would like her to have been ‘Elizabeth the last’ but there was no moment, there is no fraction, no nanosecond between her drawing her last breath… and the crown falling upon her son the next instant. There was no moment when we were allowed to discuss it, even.’

Dr Tucker said the King may be ‘less well equipped’ to walk the ‘tightrope of our politics and constitution and ceremony’ than his mother.

He insisted ‘no political power should ever be held on a hereditary basis’.

Mr Richards said it was the ‘right time for scrutiny’ following the Queen’s death.

He added that, in his view, there is nothing ‘revolutionary’ about wanting to live in a republic, claiming ‘we’re the unusual ones’ with a constitutional monarchy in Britain.

Jenny Rathbone, the Welsh Labour Assembly Member for Cardiff Central, was also in attendance.

A leaflet provided at the event warned that Britain faces a future with a ‘white, privileged male’ as head of state at least until the end of the century.

It read: ‘There’s little doubt that this will only accelerate calls for an end to the monarchy.

‘Labour for a Republic believes that accident of birth is no qualification for our country’s top job and is completely incompatible with Labour’s values of democracy and equality.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn argued: ‘We don’t as a country routinely go around singing the national anthem at every single event we go to’

‘Under a republican constitution, citizens ,collectively, would be sovereign, with a head of state elected on merit and with responsibility for protecting our constitution. We say Labour must lead on this issue.’

Labour stressed last night it ‘is not responsible for the content of fringe meetings’ at party conference. The party conference opens with some Labour MPs daring to predict the party is on course to win the next Election in the wake of the Tories’ controversial programme of tax cuts. 

Asked about the meeting earlier this week, shadow minister James Murray insisted that fringe events are not organised, nor endorsed by, the party.

Put to him by Sky News presenter Kay Burley that it seemed ‘terribly inappropriate’ to discuss at the conference whether the monarchy should be abolished, given the current circumstances, he said: ‘The fringe events are not organised by the Labour Party or endorsed by the Labour Party.

‘That’s not the view of the Labour Party frontbench, that’s not the view of myself or Keir Starmer.’

Source: Read Full Article