​Protesters demand royal title is dropped from Scotland's newest hospital

Campaigners will stage a protest next Friday against naming Scotland’s newest hospital after Queen Elizabeth.

A peaceful protest is set to take place following an online petition calling for the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow to drop its royal title received nearly 15,000 signatures.

The new hospital was built on the site of the former Southern General at a cost of £900m.

Organiser John Beattie, who also mounted the petition, said a peaceful demonstration would take place by the hospital's Govan Road entrance on Friday 23rd October at 2.30pm.

Beattie said: "The reason I have decided to organise a protest at the hospital is because the issue still resonates with so many people.

"We want to show them we won't let this issue go away until the hospital name reverts back to the South Glasgow University Hospital or they give the people the chance to vote on a name."

Campaigners say the name was adopted without consultation and that using the Queen’s name isn’t appropriate as she has made no contribution to healthcare.

Instead Sir Alexander Fleming, the Scottish doctor who discovered penicillin, was a more popular choice.

Beattie added: "People still care because the names of public buildings are important. It is the symbolism that emanates from them. Naming the hospital after the Queen is regressive and old-fashioned and more reflective of old-fashioned Britain.

“We live in the 21st century. The elected officials of this city tell us 'People Make Glasgow,' yet a significant number of people from Glasgow are being ignored when expressing their outrage and disapproval of the royal name."

Find out more about the campaign on Beattie's blog.