EXCL Kate Osamor: Prince Charles should not be the next head of the Commonwealth
2 min read
Prince Charles should not become the next Commonwealth head when the Queen steps down from the role, according to a senior Labour MP.
Shadow International Development Secretary Kate Osamor said the Prince of Wales had “not been that vocal on issues” lately - but insisted she had no truck with the Royal Family.
The issue is set to be a major talking point at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting due to take place in the UK later this month and expected to be the last attended by the Queen.
The monarch has held the title since 1952, when she succeeded King George VI upon his death, but it is not hereditary, and whether or not Prince Charles has the right to take her place is yet to be decided.
In an exclusive interview with PoliticsHome's sister title The House Magazine, Ms Osamor said she did “not particularly think it should be him”.
“Not because I have an issue with the Royal Family,” she explained. “I just don’t think it should be him. I don’t really know what he’s been up to of late. He’s not been that vocal on issues.”
She added: “We just need someone who’s level-headed, someone people respect but also someone who thinks outside the box.”
The 53 commonwealth states will meet in London between the 16 and 20 April to “reaffirm our common values, address the shared global challenges we face and agree how to work to create a better future for all our citizens”.
A source told the Daily Telegraph in February: “As part of the conversations at CHOGM it is perfectly natural that there will be a conversation at some point about succession going forward.”
Another said: “It [the succession] will be discussed at CHOGM, no question. Because Britain is hosting it this year they want to bring it to a head.
“What they don’t want is for the Commonwealth to split up, to become irrelevant.”
Meanwhile, in a separate article for the House Magazine, Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said Theresa May must apologise to Commonwealth leaders over Margaret Thatcher's failure to impose sanctions on South Africa during the apartheid era.
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