Boris Johnson has placed the Queen in the firing line over Brexit, following his decision to prorogue parliament.

That's the view of anti-monarchy campaign Republic. The group has long claimed that Britain needs an effective, independent head of state.

Graham Smith, speaking for Republic, said today:

"Boris Johnson has thrown British politics into a deep crisis, and has shone a spotlight on the impotence of the Queen and the role of the monarch's powers."

"Already people are petitioning the Queen to intervene, but she won't. Not because she can't, but because the Queen's first priority is always the preservation of the monarchy."

"But Johnson's decision to prorogue parliament has created a unique crisis for the Queen. The convention is that the Queen does as she's told by the PM. But in normal times the PM has the full support of a majority in the Commons."

"Constitutionally the Queen is free to decide whether or not to go along with the government's plans or support the sovereign parliament."

"So the Queen has a choice to make, and she's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't."

"An elected, accountable and independent head of state would be able to make a decision in the interests of the nation. An elected head of state would be able to tell the prime minister no, and insist the political crisis is settled in parliament. Whatever decision they made, they would be accountable to the voters."

"Instead we have an impotent head of state who will serve the prime minister's agenda at the expense of any other consideration."

"Will the public care about the constitutional niceties? How much the Queen fulfills the public's expectations and hopes will determine how much the parliamentary crisis becomes a royal crisis."





NOTES

Republic is a single issue campaign and we have no view on Brexit. We do have a lot to say about the constitution and how Brexit has highlighted its many flaws.