What’s the alternative?

In a new republican future we, the people, are sovereign. We are masters of our own destiny, free, equal and empowered to decide how we govern ourselves.  That power resides solely and for ever with the people.  We delegate the authority to carry out the day-to-day running of the country, and the job of deciding what rules and laws we’ll need to abide by, to a group of democratically elected subordinates: parliament.  We give parliament clear guidelines which take the form of a written constitution agreed by the people and only altered by the people.

This new constitution clearly sets out what delegated powers the different parts of the state have, and makes absolutely clear what they cannot do.  Those that we delegate to act in our name and on our behalf are free to exercise their judgment and take whatever decisions they see fit, within the limitations we have set.

Officials or persons who were previously required to take oaths of allegiance to the Crown, such as MPs, now publicly swear an oath or make an affirmation to serve the people, uphold the law and protect the Constitution.

A crucial part of the new republican constitution is that an elected head of state now replaces the monarch.  The office of Head of State, known as President, is open to any eligible British citizen.  Directly elected by the people, this non-executive, ceremonial role has only limited reserve powers such as the power to call elections on the advice of the Prime Minister, and to sign Acts of Parliament into law.  There are powers for the Head of State to be impeached. The position of Prime Minister, as Head of Government, remains. The Head of State’s term of office is fixed, perhaps at five years, with a possible maximum of two terms to be served by any individual.

Under the new republican constitution the elected Head of State:

• is equal before the law, as any other citizen, and takes an oath to serve the people, uphold the law and protect the constitution;
• is the nominal commander-in-chief of the armed forces which remain under the control of the government. Any deployment of the armed forces by the government of the day is approved by Parliament;
• assumes no military rank or title or appears in public as other than a civilian when discharging his or her official duties whether or not he or she has an entitlement to display a military rank;
• is required not to involve his or her extended family in the performance of their duties;
• is not a member of, and is constitutionally independent from, the legislature;
• has no constitutional link with any religious faith.

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