Queen set for three million pay increase, as Republic says scrap the Sovereign Grant

Social Justice

Where are the cries over this 'waste of taxpayers' money'?

 

The Queen will receive an extra £3 million next year, as her taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant rises 6.5 per cent to £45.6 million in 2017/18.

The grant, brought in by George Osborne in 2011, increases at 15 per cent of profits the Queen gets from the Crown Estate, and by law can never drop below the previous year.

Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, called for the fund to be scrapped after the rise was announced in the Palace’s annual report today.

Graham Smith, CEO of Republic, said:

‘Royal funding is a scandal. The Sovereign Grant is a disgrace. To peg public funding to Crown Estate profits makes no sense and only serves to line the pockets of the royal family.

The Sovereign Grant has already increased 38 per cent in five years – now it’s going up again without any need or justification.

Meanwhile, as the Times reports, the royal family spent £39.8 million in 2015/16, up 11.5 per cent on the previous year.

Prince Charles, whose land in the Duchy of Cornwall earned him £20,467,000 (up 3.1 per cent since last year), spent £74,500 on a charter flight to Turkey for the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign, and £33,249 on a two-day trip on the royal train.

Princess Anne spent £12,379 on a charter flight to Glasgow for a Scottish fiddle concert.

Sir Alan Reid, keeper of the privy purse, claimed ‘One pound out of every four pounds that we spend comes from income we generated ourselves, rather than from the taxpayer.’

Or to put this another way, 75 per cent comes from the taxpayer.

Graham Smith called for the monarchy’s cost to be ‘stripped right back’ with a budget agreed by parliament each year.

He added:

‘With the country under such immense economic pressure and public spending being squeezed it is disgraceful that the Queen keeps taking more and more of the taxpayers’ money.’

Adam Barnett is staff writer for Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBarnett13 

See: The Queen’s 90th birthday is a reminder of how monarchy curbs democracy

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10 Responses to “Queen set for three million pay increase, as Republic says scrap the Sovereign Grant”

  1. Robert Levy

    This is sick .Yet the servile British who so rebelliously vote for their own national decline will do nothing in response to the escalating parasitical behaviour of this family of greedmongers.
    It seems that we rebel against sense yet submit to whatever is least reasonable .
    The image that would best sum up Britain right now is of a union jack waving buffoon wearing a pro-Brexit t shirt while licking dirt from the boots of Liz Windsor .
    The fact is that Britain needs this money desperately while the so called royals do not .
    I feel ashamed to be British right now.

  2. Barry

    You are not British are you mate….. A whole generation fought for this country.. queen included.. Zip it.!!!

  3. TERRY A. THOMAS

    Citizen not Subject. Monarchy is an anachronism.I object to austerity for the many while a privileged few benefit. I WANT democracy . Our lawmakers should be elected,a fully elected Parliament with no space for heredity Peers.I want a Republic.

  4. ted francis

    What is the point of this anachronistic, shabby institution? It represents all that is societally bad in our nation. If she wishes to try to improve the image of her monarchy she should nominate charities to which this largesse is passed.

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