The leader of Britain’s left-wing Labour party has demanded that those looking to protest Britain’s monarchy do not “ruin” the experiences of those currently mourning the Queen.
Republicans and anti-royalist campaigners looking to protest the death of the Queen should not do so in a way that ruins the experiences of those mourning the Queen, the leader of the left-wing Labour party, Sir Keir Starmer, has said.
While Sir Keir once proposed the abolition of the monarchy, this latest declaration is part of his longstanding efforts to detoxify the Labour Party by making it seem more patriotic, with the knighted leader of the opposition keen to show the public that Labour is not anti-British.
According to a report by The Telegraph, Starmer acknowledged that in a democracy, it was important that people have the ability to express dissenting views, including those that go against the monarchy, but asked that such views be expressed in a manner respectful to those who are mourning the death of their monarch.
Such a call comes amid controversy surrounding the disruptive actions of some protesters who have used the Queen’s death to push an anti-monarchy message, which in turn has resulted in some arrests, as well as very belated debates in the mainstream media surrounding freedom of speech in Britain.
“I think if people have spent a long time waiting to come forward to have that moment as the coffin goes past or whatever it may be, I think respect that, because people have made a huge effort to come and have that private moment to say thank you to Queen Elizabeth II,” the publication notes Sir Keir as saying.
“Obviously we have to respect the fact that some people disagree,” he continued. “One of the great British traditions is the ability to protest and to disagree. But I think if it can be done in the spirit of respect. Respect the fact that hundreds of thousands of people do want to come forward and have that moment.”
“Don’t ruin it for them,” he went on to say.
Progressives Have 'Patriotic Duty' to Celebrate Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Leftist Leader https://t.co/ZeKTExrmOc
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) June 2, 2022
While the Labour party leader’s declaration will no doubt be welcomed by many irritated by the various disruptive anti-monarchy protests seen within the UK over the last number of days, the move may not be merely an attempt at hauling in more republican elements within the left-wing party’s voter base.
Since taking over from former party head Jeremy Corbyn — who himself was a hardline republican — Sir Keir has been keen to present Labour as being a patriotic, pro-British party with left-wing views in what apparently appears to be an attempt to win back voters turned off by the group’s previous hardline positions.
For example, during the Queen’s platinum jubilee earlier this year, Starmer declared that it was the “patriotic duty” of all Britons — including progressives who disagree with the monarchy — to celebrate the occasion.
“A new patriotism, one that is easy, self-confident and inclusive, is being born all around us,” the leader claimed at the time, despite the fact that the UK has been plagued by attempts at sidelining British history and culture, largely spearheaded by activists within his own party.
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