Green leader congratulates parents of 1,983 new babies

Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, tonight congratulated the parents of the 1,983 babies estimated to have been born in the UK today. Her congratulations comes after the announcement of the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s new son. Bennett said: “I hope all of the children have a healthy, fulfilling, financially secure life.”

On the royal baby in particular, Bennett added: “I hope that by the time this child comes of age, with the right to vote at age 16, that the hereditary principle will have disappeared from all aspects of the constitution. The new baby might then have the same civil rights and fiscal obligations as all other citizens. I would wish the baby the same chance to become a democratically elected head of state as any other individual.”

The media frenzy kicked off by the anticipated arrival of the royal baby was also met with the launch of the #bornEqual campaign by Republic, a leading republican pressure group in the UK. The campaign operates on the premise that “all children should all be able to aspire for the top job and make their own path in life”, arguing that “the arrival of a new prince or princess highlights the unfairness of the hereditary principle – for the millions of children told they’ll never be good enough and for the baby whose life has been predetermined”.