Politicians of all parties are coming under pressure to reduce the Civil List in the light of the recession. The Civil List, which consists of public money awarded to the royal family each year, currently stands at around £7.9million.

There has been a shocked response to news that the royal family is seeking to negotiate an increase in the Civil List - the money they are granted each year from public funds - despite the public spending cuts that are likely due to the recession.

Campaigners today called on the government to resist the Queen's demands for an increase in the Civil List and has said the costs of the monarchy must be slashed.

A Liberal Democrat MP today introduced a private members Bill in the House of Commons seeking to change the rules of succession to the throne, including giving women and Catholics equal rights.

A Scottish Nationalist MSP has added further weight to appeals from both civic and religious groups for the UK government to end the long-standing ban on a Roman Catholic becoming king or queen.

Britain counts itself as a mature democracy. But what really guarantees freedom and fairness, asks Simon Barrow, and how does the church relate to the will of the people in wider society?

The former Archbishop of Canterbury believes the Church of England should be disestablished if the government opts for a fully-elected second chamber, claims a leading religion writer.

How Jesus turns monarchy on its head