A SCOTTISH Greens MSP has launched a bid to remove King Charles’ name from a Holyrood Bill.
Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland region, lodged several amendments to the Education Bill that would remove any reference to the monarch.
The Greens are a republican party and co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater turned down invitations to attend the King’s Coronation.
The Scottish Tories branded the move “pathetic” in a furious response.
Greers' amendments pertain to the Education (Scotland) Bill which includes plans to disband the SQA and create a new exams board and inspections body.
But, within the scores of amendments published this week as the legislation moves to Stage 2, Greer (below) has attempted to remove phrasing related to the monarch.
It would also strip Charles’s moniker from school inspectors, currently “His Majesty’s Inspectors”.
Over a page and a half, Greer questioned each mention of the phrase “His Majesty” in the legislation.
Greer told The National: “There is simply no reason for an unelected, unaccountable King to have any role in Scotland’s education system. Involving him may only be symbolic, but that just adds another completely unnecessary step to the process and is sharply at odds with the concept of efficient, effective legislation.
“I hope our Tory and Labour colleagues will put aside their instinct to fawn over wealth and privilege for once, and instead help us to make our education system that bit more efficient.
"As fellow believers in Scottish democracy, I would also hope that we can count on the SNP’s support on these amendments.
“It’s long past time that Scotland moved beyond this kowtowing to the monarchy and embraced our long heritage of democratic governance. A position as important as the head of state should not be handed down a family tree like an old watch.”
Miles Briggs, the Scottish Tory education spokesman, told the Express: "This is a pathetic schoolboy stunt from Ross Greer.
“It is ridiculous given all the challenges facing Scotland's education system that he has decided to make this a priority."
Greer previously condemned plans for the King’s portrait to be installed in Scottish schools, citing it as “a bizarre scheme that would look more at home in North Korea”.
