AS READING prepares to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, billboards calling for the country to become a republic have erected across the town.
The bright red posters are headed ‘make Elizabeth the last’ and have been seen in Caversham and off Elgar Road South.
They are from the campaign group Republic, which says they are part of its response to this weekend’s celebrations.
It argues that the number of street parties planned for next weekend has fallen compared to 2012, while support for the monarchy has fallen. Republic says polls show one in four favour the abolition of the monarchy, and ten years there were 10,000 street parties registered compared to 1,700 this year – this latter figure may not be the most up-to-date: Reading Borough Council said it has received 57 road closure applications, a record number for the town.
After raising £43,000 for the posters, they have been pasted in number of towns and cities including Manchester, Bournemouth, Birmingham, Dundee, Leeds, Glasgow and Bristol.
Republic spokesperson Graham Smith said they were launching the campaign due to its research suggesting a fall in support for a royal family in recent years.
“As we approach the end of the Queen’s reign the country needs to start talking about moving on and getting rid of the monarchy,” he said.
“The Queen is the monarchy for most people, she’s the one who sustains support for the institution. The idea that we should all sit back and accept Charles as our head of state is going to be questioned by a lot of people.”
He added: “The monarchy is wrong in principle, wrong in practice and it’s bad for British politics. Without the Queen protecting the royals, with more controversial and divisive men in charge of the monarchy change will be much easier to achieve.
“These billboards are part of a wider move to generate a bigger, louder public debate about the future of the monarchy. The monarchy is increasingly out of touch and out of time. We need to prepare to move on and start electing our head of state.”
