NOW is the time to start a revolution to replace the monarchy, the alternative festival to Labour Party conference in Liverpool heard today. 

In stark contrast to the official conference, where delegates endured tributes to the Queen and a rendition of God Save the King, progressives at a panel discussion at The World Transformed today made the case for abolishing the monarchy. 

Momentum’s Mish Rahman, who is also an outgoing member of Labour’s national executive committee, told attendees: “The campaign for the replacement of the monarchy needs to start now, and should come from the left. 

“There should be a democratic head of state. The monarchy is not a 96-year-old granny whose always smiling, the monarchy is much more evil than that.”

Speakers argued against claims that ditching the monarchy was not an urgent issue. Naomi Larsson Pineda, a senior editor at gal-dem magazine, told attendees the royal family is the “symbol of inequality in this country.

“Them existing perpetuates the cycle of inequality that we’re all experiencing and living,” she said, adding that it was disturbing to see critical voices highlighting the royals’ links to the empire and colonisation “shut down” in recent weeks. 

She also criticised the “collective hysteria” which followed the Queen’s death, remarking that “so many people felt pressured to stop events, foodbanks shut down. There has been this collective hysteria, and think the media should take responsibility for that.” 

But while it used to be a “taboo” to say you’re a republican, this is starting to shift, said Dr Laura Clancy, a media lecturer at Lancaster University who has researched into the media representations of the royal family.

The ascension of King Charles will prompt more scrutiny of the royal family rather than being an institution that people just accept, she argued.