Graham Smith (activist)

Graham Smith
BornApril 1974 (age 50)
NationalityBritish
Alma materOpen University
OccupationCEO of Republic
Known forActivism
Board member ofAlliance of European Republican Movements (chair)

Graham Richard Peter Smith (born April 1974) is a British political activist, author and columnist. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the republican pressure group Republic[1] and a trustee of The Reform Foundation.[2]

Under Smith's leadership leadership, Republic has grown to include tens of thousands of supporters.[3]

Activism and views

Smith took over the position of CEO of Republic in 2005. During his tenure, he has led the campaign against the Sovereign Grant, royal secrecy and restriction of access to the Royal Archives.[4]

According to Smith, the monarchy’s role in the British political system contributes to a centralised, hierarchical structure where power is concentrated in the hands of a few unelected individuals, limiting the democratic accountability of the government. He also criticizes the royal family for what he perceives as a lack of transparency and accountability, particularly in regard to the use of public funds and political influence.[3] [5]

Smith argues that the monarchy, by design, is undemocratic because the head of state is not elected by the people.[3]

He advocates for a republic in which the government remains parliamentary, with a prime minister drawn from the elected lower house of Parliament. The role of the head of state in this system would be largely ceremonial, but with some constitutional powers that could be used in times of crisis, similar to the roles played by elected presidents in other parliamentary republics such as Germany and Ireland.[3] In Smith’s view, this model would ensure that the head of state is accountable to the public and that the country’s political system is fully democratic, with all key offices of state elected by the people.[3]

He has used appearances on television and his writings in The Guardian to criticise the relationship between the British monarchy and their counterparts in the Middle East, the cost of the monarchy, secrecy from the Freedom of Information Act and alleged political activity by the monarchy. he also makes the case for an elected and accountable head of state[6][7]

References

  1. ^ "Meet the team". Republic. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  2. ^ "Trustees". The Reform Foundation. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  3. ^ a b c d e Katherine Hignett (1 July 2019), Meet the Man Who Wants to Bring Down the British Monarchy, Newsweek
  4. ^ "Current campaigns". Republic. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  5. ^ Astha Rajvanshi (4 May 2023), King Charles' Coronation Is a 'Pointless Vanity Parade,' Says Britain's Leading Anti-Monarchist
  6. ^ Graham Smith (17 March 2011). "Bahrain's king as a royal wedding guest? What an dreadful message | Graham Smith | Comment is free". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  7. ^ Kelly, Tom (4 May 2015). "Backlash as republicans try to spoil royal party: TV viewers express anger after BBC interview anti-monarchy campaigner minutes before Kate left hospital | Daily Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-09-19.

Bibliography

  • Graham Smith (1 November 2023). Abolish the Monarchy: Why we should and how we will. Torva. p. 224. ISBN 978-1911709305.