King Praised by Starmer Amid Controversial Heckling by Australian Senator in Parliament

Starmer commends the King following an incident where he was criticized by an Australian senator

The Prime Minister stands by the monarch after Lidia Thorpe charged him with perpetrating "genocide" on her community.

Political correspondent @Journoamrogers

Monday, October 21, 2024, 18:

Sir Keir Starmer commended the King for his "fantastic job" following an incident where a senator heckled him in the Australian parliament.

The prime minister described the King as an "outstanding representative" for both the UK and the 56 sovereign nations that form the Commonwealth.

He made his remarks following an incident where Australian senator Lidia Thorpe heckled the monarch during his speech to the Australian parliament on Monday.

Ms. Thorpe charged the King with perpetrating "genocide" on the indigenous population of her country during a reception in Canberra, loudly proclaiming, "This land does not belong to you. You are not my King."

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When questioned about his views on politicians jeering at the King on Monday, Sir Keir responded: "Honestly, I believe the King is performing excellently. He's a remarkable representative, not only for our nation but throughout the Commonwealth."

"He's performing excellently in his role, and it's important to acknowledge that despite his own health struggles, he continues to serve the public diligently. I believe he's doing an outstanding job."

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Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe stands by her remarks to the King, describing them as 'universal truth speaking'

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Ms. Thorpe holds the distinction of being the first Indigenous woman from Victoria to serve as a senator. During her swearing-in, she declined to pledge allegiance to the recently deceased Queen.

Following the King's speech at Parliament House, Ms. Thorpe, donned in a possum skin coat and holding a traditional message stick, exclaimed, "Return our land. Return what was taken from us… Our children, our communities. You ruined our land."

Ms. Thorpe was escorted out of the building's hallway and exclaimed, "We demand a treaty – we seek a treaty with this country… this land is not yours, this is not your land, you are not my King, you are not our King."

She claimed she was barred from giving the King a "notice of complicity in Aboriginal genocide" as per the 1998 Statute of the International Criminal Court.

The senator from Australia has stood by her behavior, explaining to Sky News' Kay Burley, "he cannot be our King."

"She emphasized, 'We are the true rulers of this nation. The King resides in your nation, he originates from there.'"

She continued, "Our ancestors' bones and skulls are still held by his family. We are seeking their return. We also want our land returned.

"We urge your monarch to demonstrate leadership by joining us at the negotiating table to discuss a treaty."

When questioned about her choice of the term "genocidal," Ms. Thorpe argued that "this country has thousands of sites where massacres occurred during the invasion, and someone must be held accountable for that. As the successor, he should be the one to respond."

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The monarch, who earlier announced his cancer diagnosis, has temporarily halted his medical treatment to undertake his inaugural visit to Australia as the nation's sovereign.

Later in the week, he is scheduled to travel to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), alongside Sir Keir.

Caribbean leaders are increasingly urging for compensation due to the damages caused by the transatlantic slave trade.

In 2022, a judge from the United Nations asserted that the United Kingdom should pay approximately £18 trillion in reparations due to its historical engagement in slavery across 14 nations.

Downing Street has stated that Sir Keir continues to resist calls for issuing an apology regarding Britain's past involvement in slavery, and has made it clear that the topic of reparations is "not on the agenda" during the summit, despite pressure from several of his party members.

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Today, the official spokesperson for the Prime Minister stated that reparations will not be discussed at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

The stance of the government remains the same; we do not provide reparations.

"The prime minister will participate in this week's summit, where leaders will address common issues and prospects within the Commonwealth, focusing on economic expansion."

When questioned further on the subject of an apology, the spokesperson reiterated: "Our stance on issuing an apology remains unchanged. There will be no apology at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). However, we remain committed to collaborating with our partners on these matters as we address the urgent issues of the present and prepare for the challenges facing future generations."

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