Diamond jubilee? I won’t be dancing in the street

To the East Anglian Daily Times, 5th January 2010 (published 07/01/2010): Dear Sir, So Peter Mandelson wants us all to show our “pride and affection” for The Queen in 2012 with a public holiday. Well pardon me if I don’t join you all dancing in the streets. I find nothing to be proud of, or [...]

A letter to Gordon Brown: release royal papers

This letter is a response to a previous post about suggestions that Prime Minister Gordon Brown may veto the release of correspondence between the royal household and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport concerning the maintenance of certain royal palaces. 29th December 2009 Dear Prime Minister, The Information Commissioner has recently ruled that a [...]

A follow-up letter to John Gummer: Royal FOI exemption

John Gummer is MP for Suffolk Coastal. Submitted via WriteToThem.com, 17/12/2009: Dear John Gummer, Yesterday I wrote to ask you to support the call for greater openness and accountability in relations between the monarch and government by signing Early Day Motion (EDM) 83 which calls for the Royal Family’s exemption from the Freedom of Information [...]

A letter to John Gummer MP: EDM 83

John Gummer is MP for Suffolk Coastal. Submitted via WriteToThem.com, 16/12/2009: Dear John Gummer, I am writing to ask you to support the call for greater openness and accountability in relations between the monarch and government by signing Early Day Motion (EDM) 83 which calls for the Royal Family’s exemption from the Freedom of Information [...]

If police must make cuts, royal security must be at top of list

To: The Editor, East Anglian Daily Times, 2/12/2009 (published 9th December 2009) Dear Mr Hunt We recently heard the news that Suffolk Police may have to cut its budget by £20 million over the next four years. With Police forces country-wide being asked to cut £500 million, the amount locally could increase further. This would [...]

The Freedom of Information Act must also apply to the monarchy

To the East Anglian Daily Times, 24th November 2009 (published 26th November 2009): Dear Sir, MPs are a secretive bunch. First of all they didn’t want us to find out about their expenses. Now Justice Secretary Jack Straw is trying to sneak through proposals which would grant the Royal Family absolute exemption from the Freedom [...]

Update: Civil List payment, 2011-2020

This is the reply that I have now received to my email concerning the Civil List settlement for 2011-2020: Dear Mr Smedley, Thank you email regarding the next Civil List settlement and my reply to an enquiry from one of the members of Republic. The Civil List meets the central staff costs (about 75%) and [...]

Prince Andrew’s UKTI role should be on a business footing

Email to: Mervyn Davies, the Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Small Business mpst.davies@berr.gsi.gov.uk 27th October 2009 Dear Lord Davies, As I’m sure you are aware, over the last few days there has been considerable public anger at comments made by Prince Andrew in relation to his role as the UK’s Special Representative for [...]

Royal prerogative at heart of malaise

To the East Anglian Daily Times, 23rd October 2009 (published 26th October) Dear Sir, Our political system is broken. Our trust in politicians and in parliament is at an all-time low. Cynicism and apathy towards politics among the public is widespread. Our unwritten constitution allows the public little participation in the political process beyond registering [...]

Civil list payment, 2011-2020

To: Wendy Rendall, HM Treasury (wendy.rendall@hmtreasury.gsi.gov.uk) Dear Ms Rendall, I understand that you were recently asked by members of Republic, the campaign for an elected head of state, to comment on a press report [Guardian, 26th September] that informal talks were underway between the Treasury and Buckingham Palace to increase the civil list payment for [...]