Is it unlawful in the UK to imagine or to campaign for the abolition of
the monarchy?

Would it be considered seditious libel, or something worse, to publish
such comments on a UK-based webpage?

-- 
< Paul >

On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:55:06 +0000, "Paul C. Dickie"
 wrote:

>Is it unlawful in the UK to imagine or to campaign for the abolition of
>the monarchy?

Willie Hamilton did little else for some decades.
 
Guy
-- 
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/
GPG public ket at http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/pgp-public-key.txt

On 31 Oct, 15:55, "Paul C. Dickie"  wrote:
> Is it unlawful in the UK to imagine or to campaign for the abolition of
> the monarchy?
>
> Would it be considered seditious libel, or something worse, to publish
> such comments on a UK-based webpage?
>
> --
> < Paul >

Nope, it's fine.  See http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2003/jun/27/theguardian.pressandpublishing

Briefly: The Guardian campaigned for a referendum on whether on not
Britain should become a republic, and the law lords said that it had
the right to do so.

In message 
, 
Mouse  writes
>On 31 Oct, 15:55, "Paul C. Dickie"  wrote:
>> Is it unlawful in the UK to imagine or to campaign for the abolition of
>> the monarchy?
>>
>> Would it be considered seditious libel, or something worse, to publish
>> such comments on a UK-based webpage?
>
>Nope, it's fine.  See 
>http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2003/jun/27/theguardian.pressandpublishi
>ng
>
>Briefly: The Guardian campaigned for a referendum on whether on not
>Britain should become a republic, and the law lords said that it had
>the right to do so.

Has s. 3 of the Felony Treason Act 1848 (c.12) been repealed?

http://tinyurl.com/s3-fta-1848

Of course, the convicted felon would no longer be transported to the 
colonies, though quite how "transported beyond the seas for the term or 
his or her natural life" ever meant exile to Van Diemen's Land seems 
obscure as it is obviously reachable by sea.

Perhaps, these days, it might now suggest he be blasted off atop a 
rocket into space?

-- 
< Paul >

On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:05:28 +0000, "Paul C. Dickie"
 wrote:

>In message 
>, 
>Mouse  writes
>>On 31 Oct, 15:55, "Paul C. Dickie"  wrote:
>>> Is it unlawful in the UK to imagine or to campaign for the abolition of
>>> the monarchy?
>>>
>>> Would it be considered seditious libel, or something worse, to publish
>>> such comments on a UK-based webpage?
>>
>>Nope, it's fine.  See 
>>http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2003/jun/27/theguardian.pressandpublishi
>>ng
>>
>>Briefly: The Guardian campaigned for a referendum on whether on not
>>Britain should become a republic, and the law lords said that it had
>>the right to do so.
>
Many years before that, Tony Benn introduced his "Commonwealth of
Britain Bill", to make the same change. The Speaker ruled that debate
on it, as with any Bill affecting the royal prerogative, required the
prior assent of the sovereign. That assent was duly given, and
communicated to the House by a minister.

>Has s. 3 of the Felony Treason Act 1848 (c.12) been repealed?
>
That should be Treason Felony Act.

>http://tinyurl.com/s3-fta-1848
>
It hasn't, but there have been no prosecutions (or at least no
reported cases) since 1848, when there were a total of ten, all in
Ireland.

>Of course, the convicted felon would no longer be transported to the 
>colonies, though quite how "transported beyond the seas for the term or 
>his or her natural life" ever meant exile to Van Diemen's Land seems 
>obscure as it is obviously reachable by sea.
>
>Perhaps, these days, it might now suggest he be blasted off atop a 
>rocket into space?

The penalty is now life imprisonment.

Note that the term "imagined" as used in this Act, has the same
meaning as in the Treason Act 1351. It requires an "overt act", laid
in the indictment and proved by evidence.

-- 
Don Aitken
Mail to the From: address is not read.
To email me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "freeuk.com"

On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:55:06 +0000, "Paul C. Dickie"
 wrote:

>Is it unlawful in the UK to imagine or to campaign for the abolition of
>the monarchy?
>
No.

>Would it be considered seditious libel, or something worse, to publish
>such comments on a UK-based webpage?

No.

-- 
Don Aitken
Mail to the From: address is not read.
To email me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "freeuk.com"