Britain’s anti-monarchy campaign group Republic has criticized the senior royals’ secretive power of veto over new laws as undemocratic, calling for it to be scrapped.
The group, which campaigns for a “democratic Britain with an elected head of state,” described the royal veto as “a serious affront” to democracy, following revelations about “real influence and real power” of the British Queen and the Prince of Wales.
According to Whitehall papers prepared by Cabinet Office lawyers, at least 39 bills have been subject to the royal approval, with the senior royals using their power to consent or block legislation proposed by the UK parliament.
The Cabinet Office document, which was released following a court order, showed that the Queen vetoed entirely a private member’s Bill, the Military Actions Against Iraq (Parliamentary Approval) Bill 1999, that would have transferred the power to authorize military strikes against Iraq from the monarch to Parliament.
“It is extraordinary that in this day and age our elected politicians have to ask the permission of the Queen and her eldest son before they can pass new laws,” said Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic.
“This is clearly more than a formality. It is hard to believe the palace’s claim that consent is only withheld on the instruction of ministers. Why would ministers advise the Queen to withhold consent from their own bill?”
The internal Whitehall pamphlet also said that among the new laws that required the Queen’s consent was the Civil Partnership Act 2004, as it contained a clause about the validity of the relationships “that would bind Her Majesty.”
Moreover, the document, which was released under freedom of information laws to Legal scholar John Kirkhope, revealed that the UK government was obliged to ask the Prince of Wales for his consent for the Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997, because he owns the harbor of the Isles of Scilly through the Duchy of Cornwall.
In December last year, the campaign group condemned the British Queen’s cabinet visit as a proof of the feudalist nature of the country’s political system.
On December 18, the Queen visited Downing Street, where she joined the cabinet while they were updated on a range of forthcoming parliamentary business, as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
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