英伦广角 Issue 111 英国是否要废除皇室？（在线收听）

The UN has said the UK must consider asking the public whether they would like to keep the Royal Family. The Human Rights Council say the government should certainly think about holding a referendum on the issue to see if people would prefer to live in a republican state with a written constitution. The monarchy costs each adult in Britain around 62 pence a year. But even groups representing tax payers said there was no case for getting rid of it.

The council has 29 members including Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Sri Lanka. It was a Sri Lankan envoy who raised concerns over the British monarchy. But a royal spokesman has said today that the public haven't displayed any appetite at all for a referendum on the issue.

The UN report was also critical of the UK's treatments of immigrants from Sudan. Syria accused the UK of discriminating against Muslims and Iran complained about the UK's record on tackling sexual discrimination