The Scottish Greens co-leader insisted “there is no place in modern Scotland for the monarchy”
Maintaining the Royal Family in Scotland is becoming increasingly unjustifiable, Patrick Harvie has said.
The outgoing co-leader of the Scottish Greens repeated his call for the monarchy to be abolished ahead of the Republic Day festival in Edinburgh, where he will be speaking alongside campaigners from across the political spectrum.
The Greens said the need for a republic was proved by a backdrop of increasing inequality across the country as many struggle with household bills.
The party claimed while the UK Government has struggled to stem the tide of the cost-of-living, the Royal Family has seen their estate go from strength to strength in recent times.
Several nations across the commonwealth are already reassessing their relationship with the Crown – and the Greens co-leader said Scotland should follow suit.
Harvie said: “There is no place in modern Scotland for the monarchy.
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“Our society is experiencing widespread inequality, with the cost of living crisis continuing to push many to the brink. However, it seems the royal family has never had it so good.
“The taxpayer-funded sovereign grant rises year on year. They don’t pay capital gains tax, they don’t pay corporation tax and they’re exempt from stamp duty. They have received millions of pounds of income in rent from the NHS, schools and the armed forces for operating on the vast swathes of land that they own.
“It is completely at odds with the struggles faced by some of our most vulnerable communities. We should not have a system that only benefits the super-rich, while leaving the rest of us to pick up the bill.
“The monarchy is a profoundly outdated and undemocratic institution. We must have a serious conversation about the country we see ourselves as.
“The idea that we should show this preference for one unaccountable family, who take far more from society than they give, is the exact opposite image of Scotland I would like to see. I believe we can do so much better for the people living in our country.
“Scotland has the potential to be a modern independent democratic republic. It can be a greener and fairer country that redistributes the wealth hoarded by monarchy and the rest of the super-rich, and uses it to the benefit of the many people who are struggling.”
Harvie added: “Ultimately, it should be the people of Scotland who are sovereign and I will continue to make the case that with the powers of independence we can tackle the profound inequality that is highlighted by the lifestyle that the royals enjoy.”
A poll published in 2022 found fewer than half of Scots said they support retaining the monarchy.
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