TUC president and POA leader STEVE GILLAN speaks to Ben Chacko on the eve of Congress 2026
THE left, being supportive of democracy and elections, has never been enthusiastic for unelected rulers, particularly, as many have done historically, when they have claimed a “divine right” to rule.
Yet in Britain, republicanism — the idea that there should be an elected head of state — has been a minority trend if one is to compare it, for example, to French republicanism which had a revolution in 1789 to remove the king permanently.
It’s true of course that on January 30 1649 King Charles I lost his head in Whitehall, and a Commonwealth was in place until 1660. At that date the monarchy was restored, although the events of 1649 have had a place in radical history and thought to this day.
Reducing historical lives to ‘male’ and ‘female’ roles, we lose the nuance of those lives and a clearer understanding of past societies, suggests CLAIRE ISABELLA GILMOUR
Inspired by a hit TV show, KEITH FLETT takes a look at the murky history of undercover class war
STEPHEN ARNELL wonders at the family resemblance between former prince Andrew and his great-uncle ‘Dickie’


