[Otebo]

Some might be interested in the republican events being held in London on the weekend of the royal wedding.

If I'm not working I might seek refuge in one of our neighbouring republics - a couple of days in Ireland or France away from the madness. If that doesn't' happen I'll most likely check out some of these.

Convention of the Alliance of European Republican Movements

April 30th
From 2pm
Directory of Social Change, 24 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2DP.

Republic will be hosting the second Convention of the Alliance of European Republican Movements, held the day after the wedding, where we will announce our ambitious new plans to rid Britain of the monarchy.

We'll be joined by republicans from all the large European monarchies - Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Sweden - our friends from the Alliance of European Republican Movements, aiming for a monarchy-free Europe.

All media enquiries should be directed to Graham Smith: 07747608770, graham@republic.org.uk.

More details to follow.

Free admission. Registration required: Please RSVP to Cathy at cathy@republic.org.uk.

'Not the Royal Wedding' alternative street party

April 29th
11:30am onwards
Earlham Street, London WC2

Join us in central London on April 29th for Republic's 'Not the Royal Wedding' alternative street party.

We've taken a 'traditional' royalist street party as our inspiration, but there will be one key difference - we'll be celebrating democracy and people-power rather than inherited privilege.

With food, stalls and entertainment, Republic's alternative street party is sure to be a fun day out. But there will also be a very serious message - Britain's 10 million republicans won't be ignored, and we certainly won't be hiding. We're out and proud and determined to succeed!

Party-goers will have the opportunity to discuss the campaign with republican activists and find out how they can get involved in a real movement for change.

All media enquiries should be directed to Graham Smith: 07747608770, graham@republic.org.uk.
If you want to help out on the day please get in touch with Jen, our street party coordinator, at jen@republic.org.uk.
If you think you might be interested in having a stall or stand at the party get in touch with Emily at emily@republic.org.uk

Free admission.

Love Republic party

April 29th
7:30pm onwards
Borough Bar
10-18 London Bridge Street, London SE1.

Republic is proud to host a night of top music and entertainment to conclude the "not the royal wedding" day in style.

We've hired a whole bar right by London Bridge station for the occasion, and we're lining up a schedule of live bands, comedy fun and special surprises to make sure the republican shindig outshines all the rest. T

he party kicks off at 7.30pm and goes on 'til late, with a DJ from 10pm. Tickets are strictly limited to 250 which will all be sold in advance. Unfortunately we can't allow entry on the night without a ticket!

[Rich]

Monarchists have no respect for Republicans. So I have no respect for them. They don't allow Republicans to vote in the House of Commons. I'm interested in a way of saying fuck you to the monarchists. A way of really spoiling their day. I don't think its going to happen though. Few people care about the issue.

[Cartertonian]

I'm interested in a way of saying fuck you to the monarchists.

Yes...very mature. Clearly a shining example of the sort of chap in whom we should invest our hopes and dreams for the future glories of a Great British Republic.

[Rich]

Yes...very mature. Clearly a shining example of the sort of chap in whom we should invest our hopes and dreams for the future glories of a Great British Republic.

I don't think its me that lacks maturity. We have republicans of principle, not my cup of tea, but people of principle when it comes to Republicanism, who have been elected by their constituencies who are now not allowed to vote in the house of commons. Its a disgrace. How can monarchists ask anyone to abide by the rules of democracy, when they don't abide by the rules themselves?

[Cartertonian]

I'm assuming you're indirectly referring to having to swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown? There are many, many republican MPs who had the wit to realise that the oath is a formality and that through the oath and the nature of the Crown in a constitutional monarchy their oath was in fact to the British People.

My loyalty as a military officer is to the Crown, and I like it that way!

[The Clockwork Rat]

Interesting that there are Scandinavians joining the republican convention, since the vast majority of them actually like their monarchy.

[Otebo]

Hasn't the Swedish monarchy become less popular recently, what with revelations about the King and criticism of the royal wedding? I think the level of support for a republic is similar to the UK, currently around 20%.

Also,

An investigation by Republic, the campaign for an elected head of state, has revealed that almost a third of local authorities have received no applications for royal wedding street parties and three quarters of councils have received five or fewer.

The freedom of information responses - obtained from over 100 local authorities across the country - confirm the findings of a Republic/ICM poll which showed that 79% were either "largely indifferent" or "couldn't care less" about the wedding.

A far cry from the image presented by the Palace's PR machine.

[SomeRandom]

Kent leads the way in planning celebrations for royal wedding
With two weeks remaining to apply for party licences, audit suggests enthusiasm is patchier than palace expected

The cul-de-sacs of Kent are set to be Britain's hottest street party zone during next month's royal wedding, but if you want to kick back beneath the bunting steer clear of Middlesbrough, Bradford and Hull.

Not a single person in the three northern towns has applied to close down a street to celebrate the nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton, while 54 have done so in Kent, according to a survey of applications for street party licences.

The audit, conducted by Republic, the campaign for an elected head of state, provides a snapshot of local enthusiasm for the wedding on 29 April and reveals that a third of local authorities have had no applications from residents at all.

Declining to deck the streets and raise a cream-tea toast to the future king and queen are the residents of Barrow, Bury and Gosport, while even the residents of the Scilly Isles, many of whom are tenants of the Duchy of Cornwall, have so far spurned the opportunity to take to the streets to celebrate the biggest royal wedding since Charles and Diana in 1981.

There is a distinct north-south divide to Britain's party plans so far with the five southern councils of Kent, Cambridgeshire, Milton Keynes, South Gloucestershire and Bromley reporting 160 applications between them, while swaths of the north have no applications at all. Of the northern towns, Scarborough in North Yorkshire is most enthusiastic with 18 applications so far while Lincolnshire county council has had 17 bids.

In London, despite David and Samantha Cameron apparently planning a party in Downing Street, many have greeted the prospect of a royal street bash with a collective shrug. The boroughs of Waltham Forest and Sutton are planning 14 parties but no licences have been requested in Haringey and the City of London while there is only one application in Islington and four in Harrow.

The patchy levels of enthusiasm revealed by Republic's freedom of information requests which they made on 14 March was interpreted by its director, Graham Smith, as "terrible news for the palace press office, who have been desperately trying to whip up enthusiasm for the wedding".

He added: "They predicted thousands of street parties up and down the country, but the reality is that only a tiny minority of zealous monarchists are interested. Despite the relentless hype the British public just aren't excited by the wedding or the royals."

With a couple of weeks still remaining to apply for licences it may be too early to judge and the data only covers 112 councils.

Tracey Murphy, 40, a part-time accounts assistant who is helping to organise a party for up to 150 locals in her cul-de-sac in Dartford, Kent, confirmed their event was "more about pulling the community together than the royal wedding".

"We are going to do tea and cakes, barbecue, face-painting for the kids, music and there will be a presentation to Norah, our oldest resident at 93," she said. "We thought that would be nice. We've bought bunting and royal wedding flags with William and Catherine's face on them and little waving flags for the kids. There's a snooker table, a table tennis table and someone's gone out and bought a big Jenga."

Kay McLoughlin, 43, a volunteer events co-ordinator from Folkestone who is helping plan a party for the residents of 30 homes in the Kent town, said she was inspired by her respect for William and was planning to lay on a traditional party. "We thought let's go for it and it will be a real memory for the children in 20 years' time."

[Guillotine]

Monarchies in 2011, in any form, are a travesty. They are a massive waste of resources. The British royal "Crown" is especially useless. Figureheads with no accountability making numerous bad decisions based on vanity? Please. They're archaic artifacts from the past that remain sad indicators to the number of naive people too unreflective to question their existence.

Worthless nationalist stand-ins

[Cartertonian]

Location: Tennessee

QED.

[Dave]

Location: Tennessee

QED.

Let us not forget post-Trotskyism

[Oxymoron]

Lets celebrate by beheading the evil family.

[Guillotine]

Aw Cart is mad.

It'll be okay, buddy. No one is judging you for still talking up royalty it's like people here worshipping celebrities. Britain needs tabloid info, too.

[yiwahikanak]

Canadians of a particular age (and cultural background) tend to be big fans of the British monarchy. It is odd.

[Invictus_88]

Monarchies in 2011, in any form, are a travesty. They are a massive waste of resources. The British royal "Crown" is especially useless. Figureheads with no accountability making numerous bad decisions based on vanity? Please. They're archaic artifacts from the past that remain sad indicators to the number of naive people too unreflective to question their existence.

Worthless nationalist stand-ins

Doesn't the monarch pay 100% income tax on her/his estates?

That's a significant earner for the State.

[Otebo]

Guillotine, Americans are widely mocked for their absolute fascination with everything royal.

Canadians of a particular age (and cultural background) tend to be big fans of the British monarchy

You mean the Canadian Monarchy. It's an entirely different institution.

[yiwahikanak]

You mean the Canadian Monarchy. It's an entirely different institution.

....

No one refers to it as the Canadian Monarchy in my experience.

So no. I mean the British monarchy.

[Otebo]

You're experience of what people call it doesn't change the reality. The Monarchy of Canada is a completely separate institution from the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, though both are embodied in the same person. If you don't understand that or the concept of the Crown in Right of Canada how can you understand your constitution or your country's entire system of law and government?

[yiwahikanak]

You're experience of what people call it doesn't change the reality. The Monarchy of Canada is a completely separate institution from the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, though both are embodied in the same person. If you don't understand that or the concept of the Crown in Right of Canada how can you understand your constitution or your country's entire system of law and government? :?:

Ah. You were merely being pedantic.

I didn't realise we went from discussing the popular perception of the British monarchy as held by Canadians of a certain age, to a discussion on constitutional law. Probably because the aforementioned Canadians couldn't give a fuck, and only suckers like me actually bother to get into the details of that sort of thing in the hopes that this will provide us with a means to earn enough to live on after paying back our student loans.

[SomeRandom]

it's like people here worshipping celebrities. Britain needs tabloid info, too.

We're just as bad for celebrity obsession here - our tabloids are never in short supply of celebrity 'news'. The Royalty's extra curriculum.