Julian Calls for National Consultation on Richard III’s Reburial
March 12, 2014
Today Julian raised his concerns about the lack of public consultation over the ongoing legal battle surrounding the reburial of the former King of England, Richard III.
Speaking on the eve of the judicial review hearing, Julian believes that the Ministry of Justice should rethink their position. He argued that “Instead of allowing campaigners from both sides to debate the issue in a democratic fashion, officials at the Ministry of Justice and the University of Leicester appear to have hashed out this important decision behind closed doors. Concocting a ‘finders keepers agreement’ sets a very worrying precedent indeed for any other fantastic historical discoveries we make in the future.”
Central to the High Court battle is the matter of the exhumation license which was granted by the Ministry of Justice. The license refers to “persons unknown” which the Plantagenet Alliance point outs should not cover a former anointed monarch. Julian, who supports the Alliance’s campaign to bring Richard III back home to York, believes that the previous court’s recommendation to appoint a panel of experts to consult on the matter should be taken up by the Government.
The York Outer MP has campaigned extensively on this issue, having raised the matter in Parliament and written to the Archbishop of York, the Ministry of Justice and even to Buckingham Palace. Julian goes on to say “The discovery of the remains of an anointed monarch, whose death brought about the end of a brutal civil war, is unprecedented. The discovery of a monarch of such historical significance should be a cause for celebration, not division. It is only right and proper that the people are consulted on how best to preserve their own heritage.”
“I am, of course, entirely in agreement with the vast majority of my constituents who believe that York Minister is the rightful home of the last Yorkist King. Richard also spent some of the best years of his life as his elder brother’s Lieutenant in Yorkshire and he very clearly identified himself with both the city of York and its Minster.”
To see the full article in the Yorkshire Post – click the link below: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/general-news/outcry-at-secret-deal-on-king-s-remains-1-6492210
