Ian Brown's royal demands

Sep 24, 2009, 11:00 GMT

British palaces should be given to homeless people, says singer Ian Brown.

The former Stone Roses singer believes the British royal family should be forced to give up their luxurious lifestyles and ordered to live in social housing schemes.

He told music website The Quietus: "The fact is in this country 70 per cent of the land is owned by one per cent of the people. That's 70 per cent of the land that we're never going to see. The best, nicest, choicest crags, valleys and salmon rivers.

"The land should be seized and redistributed. Take the f***ing palace off the royal family, put them in a council house or whatever, and turn the palace into apartments for the homeless. Build houses in the grounds of Windsor Castle."

Brown insists there is no need for a monarchy in modern life and believes his home country has more than enough famous faces to attract tourists.

When asked if British tourism would suffer without the royal family, the 46-year-old star replied: "Do you believe that? I think that's a lie to keep the monarchy going, that people only come to England to see them. I don't believe that.

"People have always come to England - as much for The Beatles or David Beckham as for the Royal Family."