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Republic, the largest anti-monarchy group in Britain, has written to BBC Director General Mark Thompson, to complain about institutional bias toward the monarchy.

In the letter Republic Campaign Manager Graham Smith said: "There is a clearly identifiable institutional bias, particularly within the BBC's national news output, toward presenting the Monarchy in a manner that is favourable to the institution".

"The BBC seems over-eager to report on trivial matters, such as a prince getting his A-Level results, or celebrating a birthday. When covering more serious matters the BBC appears very keen to tone down any anti-Monarchy comments or criticisms."

Citing reports on royal finances, Republic pointed out that the BBC's coverage "amounts to an unquestioning defence of the Monarchy."

The letter acknowledged that accusations of bias are routinely directed at the BBC, but questioned whether the manner of royal reporting would be tolerated if it were applied to coverage of the government.

"When you report statements, claims and actions by the government you always ensure there is a critical or opposing voice to provide balance to your coverage. When reporting statements, claims and actions by the Monarchy and its resident family, that editorial balance evaporates."

The new Chair of the BBC Trust, Michael Lyons, recently committed to ensuring editorial impartiality, saying "Under my leadership, the Trust will continue to safeguard the BBC's editorial independence and ensure that is impartial."

The Republic letter was copied to a number of senior BBC directors and editors, in the hope of prompting serious debate within the corporation about the nature of royal coverage.

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The Conservative Party is being blamed by the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties for one of it’s legislators-for-life who chooses not live in this country. Although Irvine Laidlaw makes laws for Britons to obey, he has chosen to live in Monaco and not pay British taxes.

Mr. Laidlaw is reputed to be the second richest native of Scotland but according to a Liberal Democrat legislator has avoided paying £50m in taxes in his country of birth.

The commission that vets appointments to the second chamber of Britain’s legislature has a policy of not endorsing the appointment of legislators not registered to pay taxes in Britain. Mr. Laidlaw has promised the commission that he will register but has not done so. However, the commission cannot revoke his appointment as a legislator-for-life.

Laidlaw was nominated to his seat in Parliament by the Conservative Party to which he has donated £2.2m. He has been interviewed by police investigating the "cash for peerages" allegations.

In an October 2005 debate Laidlaw told fellow legislators "I thoroughly commend the teaching of citizenship and, if the curriculum that I have seen is anything to go by, it will be a very worthwhile activity."

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Scots hoping to be free of feudalism if Scotland opts for independence from the UK may be disappointed. The Scottish National Party (SNP) says that Liz Windsor should continue to be head of state in an independent Scotland.

The SNP, which has been leading in the campaign for election of the Scottish Parliament on 3 May, is committed to a referendum to decide whether Scotland should break the link with the United Kingdom.

The party’s election manifesto calls for "independence in the modern world". But its idea of modern independence is one in which Scotland would have a foreign head of state not chosen by the people of Scotland.

The British queen would formally appoint the Prime Minister of Scotland. And it can be assumed that the Prime Minister of Scotland , like the British PM, would be expected to back out of a room rather than turn her or his back on the English queen of Scotland.

While keeping the monarchy, the Scots would opt out of financial support for the Windsor family. This would come from the people of Wales, England and Northern Ireland except when the family head was acting as Scotland’s head of state.

The SNP does promises a referendum at an unspecified date on whether the Windsor family should continue to have the exclusive right to fill Scotland’s chief public office.

It is not clear whether Scotland would keep the honours system that awards feudal titles such as "lord" and "knight". One renowned supporter of the SNP, actor Sean Connery, is a British "knight" and is addressed by supporters of feudal titles as "Sir Sean". However, it does seem that the SNP has no plan for legislators-for-life in the parliament of an independent Scotland.

Meanwhile, one Scottish member of the UK Parliament has made an unusual call for the abolition of the monarchy. Labour MP Jim McGovern, who represents the Dundee West constituency, told the Dundee Evening Telegraph "I see absolutely no role for an unelected monarch within our political system".

Phil Windsor, the husband of Britain’s head of state, is the duke of Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city.

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