RECENTLY, it had been suggested by then Labour leadership candidate Clive Lewis (a man whose party I very rarely agree with, along with Mr Lewis himself) at a campaign event in south London on January 10 that a referendum should be held on whether the British royal family’s rule over the public should continue or be scrapped altogether, stating that Britons should be “citizens, not subjects”.

In my opinion, it is about time that this happens. The system of how the laws created and passed by elected officials and then by the unelected gravy train that is the House of Lords before being finally signed by the royal family (Royal Assent) needs to change to properly reflect the real definition of democracy. In other countries that are republics, laws are created by the elected representatives in the lower house (congress or parliament), then passed or rejected by the upper house (often called the Senate) and then sent over to be passed or vetoed by the elected prime minister or president.

Given the fact that the public pay the royal family £76.1million (as of December 1, 2017, according to the Sovereign Grant Annual Report) through our taxes, I say it is about time a new referendum on how democracy is properly handled in our political system is declared. It has been long overdue.

Given that our politicians have to pledge their allegiance to protect the royal family according to law as part of S84 of the Scotland Act 1998 and S3 & S4 of the Promissory Oaths Act 1868, surely is it time that our elected officials pledge their true allegiance towards We The People instead of unaccountable elites? As much as I also do not want our nation (Scotland especially) to have Brussels be given the final say over our laws (including our budget) passed, it is clear that we need to move with the times.

Jonathan Rainey

West Dunbartonshire

THERE’S been much furore in recent weeks about COP26 and the potential massive security bill – between £100million and £200m – and who pays!

Firstly, may I say it is hardly “eco-friendly” to bring 20,000-30,000 delegates from all over the planet to discuss how we all reduce our carbon footprints and impact on our beloved Earth!

COP25 in Madrid has just finished and guess what? Little real consensus on key issues. Why not invite, say, 500-1000 of the real decision makers. And have a real debate and force the hands of the worst offenders to take proper action, not make token gestures! Lower the security costs, lower the carbon footprint, and have a better chance of some decisive action instead of thousands of delegates who have good intentions but don’t really pull the strings.

And let’s hope that none of our city fathers get dropped off in the six-litre-engine limo that was gifted to the city. Eternally optimistic.

Joe Hewitt