THE first Budget of the new Labour Government is set to face protests from anti-monarchy group Republic.
Due to take place on October 30, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing calls from Republic to cut the royal budget instead of public services.
It comes after a fresh report revealed at the end of September that the royal household now costs the taxpayer more than £500 million a year.
READ MORE: Steph Paton: Lidia Thorpe called out a vile colonial mindset
Speaking for Republic, CEO Graham Smith said: “Rachel Reeves has been saying she must take 'tough decisions' in her upcoming Budget but if cuts are needed surely the monarchy is the place to start.
“Yet the cost of the monarchy has risen to half a billion pounds per year. The royal budget should be cut to the bone, not vital public services.
“Republic will be protesting in Westminster on the day of the Budget, calling on Reeves (below) to cut the half billion royal budget. No ifs. No buts.”
Smith further hit out at the UK Government’s decision to make cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment.
“How does the Government defend this rhetoric of painful decisions when the royals cost us enough to pay 18,000 NHS nurses,” Smith said.
“That’s why we’ll be protesting outside Parliament and across Westminster when Reeves announces the Budget.”
The announcement of the protest comes after Australian senator Lidia Thorpe (above) interrupted a speech King Charles was giving to the country’s Parliament House.
She claimed “genocide” had been committed against the Commonwealth country’s indigenous people.
An aboriginal activist was also arrested in Sydney for staging a protest against the royal family’s visit.
READ MORE: SNP bring forward Westminster bill to 'keep NHS in public hands'
Republic aren’t the first to call for action from Reeves in the upcoming Budget.
The SNP have also called on Keir Starmer to give a “cast-iron guarantee” that the National Insurance tax hike reportedly in the upcoming Budget will not hit Scottish public services or affect the Scottish Government’s Budget.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel