Sara had been subjected to 'acts of extreme cruelty' but Sharif and Batool had not shown 'a shred of remorse', says judge Cavanagh
world2 days ago
More than half of British people do not want the upcoming coronation of King Charles III to be funded by taxpayers, a new poll conducted and published on Tuesday found.
The YouGov poll found 51 percent of respondents believe the May 6 ceremony to crown Charles and Camilla should not be paid for by the government.
Nearly a third, 32 per cent, said it should, while around 18 per cent did not know.
It comes with the UK in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis and wide-ranging strikes by employees across the public and private sectors, as decades-high inflation eats away at earnings.
The situation is seen as factoring into the muted enthusiasm seen so far for the long weekend of celebrations.
The government is yet to disclose how much it will all cost, with a Westminster Abbey ceremony on Saturday May 6 and Windsor Castle concert on Sunday May 7 among the set-piece events.
Alongside a huge security operation throughout, it is predicted to run into the tens of millions of pounds.
The country will also get an extra bank holiday on Monday May 8, which has an additional economic cost.
The 1953 coronation of Charles' mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, cost £912,000 in 1953 -- £20.5 million in today's money.
Meanwhile his grandfather George VI was crowned at a cost of £454,000 in 1937, which is worth £24.8 million in 2023.
The poll of 4,246 adults found younger people -- who have often been hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis -- least in favour of footing the bill for the landmark occasion.
Around 62 percent of those aged 18 to 24 were opposed to the coronation being government-funded, while 15 percent were in favour.
However, among over-65s, 43 percent supported taxpayers funding it, while 44 percent were against.
Government minister Oliver Dowden has previously insisted colleagues and the monarch were "mindful of ensuring that there is value for the taxpayer" and there will not be "lavishness or excess".
"It is a marvellous moment in our history and people would not want a dour scrimping and scraping," Dowden told a parliamentary committee earlier this year.
But Graham Smith, chief executive of campaign group Republic, has called the coronation an "expensive pantomime" and a "slap in the face for millions of people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis".
The total cost and breakdown of funding will likely not be available until after the May 6 event, as occurs with other royal occasions such as jubilees.
Sara had been subjected to 'acts of extreme cruelty' but Sharif and Batool had not shown 'a shred of remorse', says judge Cavanagh
world2 days ago
The UNHCR Director said that some of those fleeing could be linked to the former government or else be religious minorities with concerns
world2 days ago
Rafah residents say Israeli tanks pushed deeper towards the western area of Mawasi, known as a humanitarian-designated area
world2 days ago
Kamal Adwan is one of the last operational medical facilities in the north of the war-ravaged territory, with the WHO warning earlier this month that it was operating at a 'minimum' level
world2 days ago
A tsunami warning was issued after the quake, with waves of up to one metre forecast for some areas, but it was soon lifted by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre
world2 days ago
Vanuatu's vulnerability to earthquakes has consistently ranked it as the most at risk country globally under the UN's World Risk Index
world2 days ago
First elected to parliament in 2013, the former journalist joined Trudeau's cabinet two years later when the Liberals swept to power
world3 days ago
Most areas in the city of Qusayr were off-limits to us, says 22-year-old resident Ali Khleif
world3 days ago