Idea of monarchy as symbol of duty or sacrifice ‘a lie’, says Labour’s Clive Lewis

MP and former shadow cabinet member speaks out despite leader's call for silence before Queen's funeral

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The notion of the royal family as symbols of duty or sacrifice to the nation is a lie" and is at the centre of a deeply unequal UK, a senior Labour MP has argued, breaching Keir Starmer's order to his party to stay silent before the Queen's funeral on Monday.

Clive Lewis, the Norwich South MP and former shadow cabinet minister, said the arrest of anti-monarchy protesters and the condemnation of others who dissented showed that the royal succession is as much about coercion as consent".