GREEN Councillors in Glasgow have criticised the funding of the city’s official coronation events.
The council’s own budget is part-funding the two events held in Glasgow for the historic occasion, with the UK Government providing some financial support.
Money from the hospitality budget from the common good fund is going towards the Coronation Concert, held on Friday, May 5 and the Procession from George Square to the Cathedral on Sunday, May 7.
While hundreds of thousands are expected in London for the coronation at Westminster Abbey and the procession from Buckingham Palace, Glasgow has a more low-key approach but still has official events.
The Greens who have 10 councillors in the city are angered the Crown is paying nothing towards the costs of Glasgow’s celebrations.
Anthony Carroll, Glasgow Greens’ democracy spokesperson, said: “To have tax-payer money and Glasgow’s Common Good fund used to subsidise activities in honour of one of the richest men in the UK is a slap in the face while many people still face soaring food and energy bills in this cost of living crisis.
“That should be the priority for the public purse right now, not celebrating hereditary power and privilege.
“If the King wants us to throw a party, he should use the cash he saved avoiding inheritance tax from his mother’s estate instead of draining Glasgow’s common good.
“The council also needs to have a good look at who benefits from its civic hospitality as it feels like too much is presently lavished on institutions which do not fully reflect the modern, diverse city which Glasgow is.”
Edinburgh councillors
Councillors in Glasgow aren’t the only ones to express their frustration at the coronation.
We previously told how the Greens group in Edinburgh lodged a motion to reject the Duke of Edinburgh’s title.
Co-conveners Alys Mumford and Ben Parker told The National it was “right” to question the links between the monarchy and Scotland’s capital city.
Recent polling has shown apathy towards the royal family is only increasing, with three-quarters of Scots showing little care towards either the family or the coronation.
Mumford added: “An increasing number of people are being alienated. We know that it (the coronation) doesn’t feel to people like something that matters amid the cost of living crisis to see this sort of pageantry and then to see that our city has been gifted as a birthday present to someone.”
