Britain is closer to becoming a republic than some people think.
That’s the message from organisers at Republic in Yorkshire, the political pressure group formed in Huddersfield five years ago.
An ancillary group to the main nationwide Republic, it draws members from across the county and will be meeting in Huddersfield on January 14 to celebrate its fifth anniversary in the town in which it was founded.
Yorkshire co-ordinator Mark Sutton said: “Judging by the feedback we get back, a republic is much closer than some may think.
“Even the best estimate says that 20% of the population are republicans. That’s about 15 million people. That does not mean 80% are monarchists. It’s more like 20%, which means 60% of the people are on the fence or undecided. They don’t care either way. We are going for that 60%.”
Mr Sutton claims Republic has gone beyond being a fringe outfit and now has relevance as a significant pressure group.
“We are not leftists or centrists,” he added. “We are of all colours in the political spectrum. We want a referendum on the monarchy by 2025. That’s our ultimate aim. I think it’s achievable in my lifetime and I am 51.”
Republic in Yorkshire regularly holds leafletting sessions, talks, debates and is active at political conferences. They have made their argument at the Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green, and UKIP conferences, which they have attended for the last three years.
“We got a lot of people on our side even there,” he said. “We have more from Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP. There are quite a few Conservatives that might sympathise with us but it’s a vote loser from their perspective.
“Although there has been dissent (around the monarchy) since the mid-1980s, nothing will change until the Queen goes. I think that when she dies a lot of countries in the Commonwealth will become republics.
“It’s up to us to make people aware of what we are getting for the £334m a year it costs to keep the royal family. We are making a difference.”
Republic is said to have a national supporter base of around 30,000. In Yorkshire the mailing list runs to about 350 people. The group’s next meeting takes place in the Merrie England coffee shop on New Street in Huddersfield town centre from 10.15am on January 14 followed by leafletting around King Street and then a gathering in the Albert Hotel to discuss the last five and the next five years, “unless of course, Britain becomes a republic within that time”.
Mr Sutton can be contacted via mark@republic-local.org.uk
