Labour leadership contender calls for referendum to kick out Royal Family
LABOUR leadership candidate Clive Lewis has called for a referendum on booting out the Royal family.
Mr Lewis claimed there was support for the monarchy to be "scaled down" following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's shocking decision to move to Canada.
Corbynista Clive Lewis called for the vote earlier today, while trying to boost his fledgling campaign for the Labour leadership.
The shadow treasury minister said the public should be allowed to vote on "what the future of the monarchy is" as he fights to be leader.
"I think a lot of people would like to see the monarch scaled down - there's been a lot of talk... that the monarchy is quite large and there are a lot of people being paid by the public purse," he told a crowd in South London.
"One of the things I always talk about is democracy... so why not have a referendum in this country on the future of the Royal Family?"
"We're a democracy, I'd rather see us as citizens than subjects in the 21st Century. Let's talk about what a modern state looks like and what the role of the Royal Family should look like."
The shadow minister also said that the Labour party must "modernise or die".
Mr Lewis said being black could be part of the reason he has received so few nominations, saying the Labour Party is not immune to "structural racism".
His calls for a vote to get rid of the monarchy come in the midst of a huge row in the Royal family.
Prince Harry and Meghan have announced that they intend to become "financially independent", take a step back from their duties as Royals and move to Canada.
Mr Lewis was one of the first people to throw his hat into the ring for the leadership, but has gained the least nominations - only four Labour MPs and MEPs have backed him for his bid.
Leadership hopefuls need 22 nominations to get through to the next stage of the contest before Monday.
Sir Keir Starmer, the millionaire Remainer from London, has secured a whopping 63 nominations.
Rebecca Long Bailey, seen as the "continuity Corbyn" candidate, is currently in second place with 26 nominations.
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Jeremy Corbyn is set to stay on as leader until April while the leadership contest is underway.
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