Christine Grahame - Queen's Speech Snub

Queen's Speech Snub

Grahame is a supporter of Republic, a campaign to replace the British Monarchy with an elected head of state. In July 2009, Grahame snubbed Her Majesty the Queen by checking her e-mails rather than attending the royal speech at Holyrood to mark the tenth anniversary of Scottish devolution. The move drew critical comment from bloggers as well as from other MSPs, with Lord Foulkes remarking "She has a particular axe to grind here. this is boring for Scotland — she just goes on and on." Former Presiding Officer George Reid described the absence as "sad".

However, on the BBC Radio Good Morning Scotland programme, she said: "I'm earning and working for my constituents far more than if I sit hypocritically in the chamber watching a monarch for an institution I do not support."

Read more about this topic:  Christine Grahame

Famous quotes containing the words queen, speech and/or snub:

    I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to my mind, a very gallant lady, victimized by whoever it is who designs the tops of her uniforms.
    Leonard Cohen (b. 1934)

    An art whose medium is language will always show a high degree of critical creativeness, for speech is itself a critique of life: it names, it characterizes, it passes judgment, in that it creates.
    Thomas Mann (1875–1955)

    Odysseus saw the sirens; they were charming,
    Blonde, with snub breasts and little neat posteriors,
    John Streeter Manifold (b. 1915)