The UN Human Rights Council said the UK must “consider holding a referendum on the desirability or otherwise of a written constitution, preferably republican”.
The council has 29 members including Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Sri Lanka.
It was the Sri Lankan envoy who raised concerns over the British monarchy. The resulting report said Britain should have a referendum on the monarchy and the need for a written constitution with a bill of rights. The monarchy costs each adult in Britain around 62p a year but even groups representing taxpayers said there was no case for getting rid of it.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “With so many human rights abuses around the world the UN should be busy reporting on issues of starvation, execution and the denial of the vote to huge numbers of people around the world. “Saudi Arabia and Cuba should pay a little more attention to their own human rights record.” The UN report was also critical of the UK’s treatment of immigrants from Sudan. Syrian representatives accused the UK of discriminating against Muslims and Iran complained about the UK’s record on tackling sexual discrimination.
A royal source said: “People here certainly haven’t detected any appetite for a referendum. The Queen is a focus for national unity, identity and pride.”
If the Royals only cost the taxpayers 62p per person per year, then its well worth the entertainment value. I’m not buying it.
An unelected world body being critical of a largely symbolic monarchy. Classic.
Wait a minute! Saudi Arabia was part of a panel that says the British Royalty costs the British people too much money? This sounds like a Jay Leno straight line!
And the UN isn’t wasting all the money we dump into it?
Council on Human Rights includes Cuba and Saudi Arabia (well known for their championing of Human Rights), and they spend their time and money investigating the UK royalty?
Seriously, why do we pay for this again?
People should put a price on the Bush dinasty too. As as they are at it, on the Clintons as well…
I bet it will be more than 62p…
Glad to see the UN is focused on important problems. The Saudis are telling the UK to get rid of the royals? That’s classic.
Did someone mis-explain what irony meant to the UN members? Bad bad comic.
Oddly enough, you should all check out the recurring news stories about unpaid US dues to the U.N. 🙂
That said, it is absolutely hilarious and I thought it was a spoof… Iran questioning the UK’s record on equal rights? lol
ok get rid of the figurehead royals and replace them with what? an idiotic president with real power?
no thanks
Discrimination agaoinst Muslims in the Uk? You’ve got to be kidding me right?
It’s been shown that if you want to get public funding for something, being a Muslim is almost a guarantee to get it. The Uk is bending over backwards to help the Muslim community and parts of the Uk are no-go areas where Christians carrying Bibles and who talk of their faith are told they’re committing hate crimes because it’s a Muslim area.
If a non faith based organisation wants to help the weak and vulnerable, they may get help. if they’re Christian based, they won’t get help. If they belong to a minority religion (except Judaism because there’s always an innate suspicion of Jews), then they’ll definately get all the help they want.
What they mean is, it’s discriminations against them if you don’t give them everything they want.
>consider holding a referendum on the desirability or otherwise of a written constitution, preferably republican”.
So we need to have a referendum for the public that says:
“Be it resolved that a written constitution is desirable.”
Actually we just need a debate in Parliament on whether to have the referendum.
OK, we’ll do that, no off to Zimbabwe with you.
Even more hypcritical is a muslim monarchy complaining about a western monarchy.
#9 Reported where?
Saying that the UK royals cost money is NOT TRUE! In actual fact they actually result in a large net gain for the UK tax payer.
People come up with these false statements because they only look at the costs without looking at the income.
There is tangeable and intangable income.
Every year, the UK royals spend thousands of hours working along side British businesses all around the world to help them win contracts and bring in work and resources to the British economy. This has a real effect and does help.
There is also the income resulting from tourism and charity work.
The UK royals bring in a lot of money for the UK. Certainly more than the costs.
Every now and then some crack-pot republican comes along proclaiming that there is a problem with the Monarchy. Well, as far as I’m concerned, there are plenty of republics in the world and aeroplanes that fly there. If you want to live in a republic, pack your bags and take the next flight out.
Long live the Queen!!
Dump the UN. Move the entire useless organization to Zimbabwe.
Yup, the UK should have referendum on the monarchy and on immigration and then Saudis should have a referendum on their monarchy. In fact since they made the suggestion they should lead the way, then they should work on their discrimination against women, same for Iran. They should do exactly as UNESCO suggested, you remember when they had the Women’s Rights Meeting in China about 7 year ago, and legalize prostitution. They should lead by example.
We should lead by exiting the UN. It drains us of money and corrupts our government against us. Ditto for the WTO, NAFTA, etc. Most of our economic problems can be traced back to these agreements. Have you noticed our economy gets worse with each International Treaty we sign~~~ Probably no, you’re probably still caught in Demoncrat against Republicrat garbage.
Today it’s Nationalist versus Globalist and we won’t have a chance or taking back our government or helping our economy until that’s clear in everyone’s mind. But then that the point, obscure the real debate and just keep it Demon against Clubbing RINOs
What idiots!
They shouldn’t care about a franco-german nation with bloody germans as their figurehead monarchs!
Cursor_
#4, way to go taking a story that has nothing to do with Bush, and trying to somehow link it to him. Once again, you prove that hate is all consuming, and breaks down reasonable thought.
I guess that makes you a typical neo-lib voter though, so at least you have plenty of company.
Way over there on the right… Isn’t that a BULLSHIT flag?
Britons can be proud of their monarchy. .. And it cost them less than you pay to maintain a Britney Spears, who I doubt you can be proud of. . Some folks really have no proper value judgments do they.
#15 – Best idea yet.
>>I guess that makes you a typical neo-lib
>>voter though
Way to go, taking a comment that has nothing to do with neo-libs, and trying to somehow link it to them. Once again, you prove that hate is all consuming, and breaks down reasonable thought.
And yes, the progressive, enlightened voter has plenty of company now. I hope some day you’ll join us. After 8 years of Dumbya, many, many are.