PaulJ,


"I'm inclined to sign this petition, but I don't want to do so impetuously."


Fair enough.


"Perhaps someone could enlighten me: if my taxes are going towards the £20million, what exactly is in it for me?"


I'll have a go. Depending on what you politics actually are, of course, then there are many potential benefits.

If the Pope pays instead of us tax payers then that is £20,000,000 that can instead be used to build new hospitals or schools, hire new teachers or doctors / nurses; help to equip our soldiers; providing care for the frail or elderly; tax relief for us hard hit tax payers or a tiny contribution towards paying off Britain's massive debt.

That's just from the top-of-my-head but, personally, I think there is a lot in it for all of us.

Maybe the whole area of expensive state visits and whether they really are absolutely necessary (some, like this one, are clearly not) should be closely examined in Bankrupt Britain?