Something from the Office of the Witchfinder General

KING OF HAY TO FACE EXTRADITION ?

King Richard Booth, who founded his kingdom in the Welsh border town of Hay-on-Wye, may face extradition from Egypt.

A revolutionary council has today sent an official application to the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office for help in the matter of the King's proposed extradition from Egypt, on grounds of Treason against his people.

King Richard, who created the Kingdom of Hay-On-Wye as Book Capital of the World in the 1960s, sold his main store over a year ago and is currently on holiday in Egypt. His subjects, concerned by his lack of commercial enterprise in the ensuing period have formed a revolutionary Council of State as the sovereign power of the Commonwealth of Hay. They have appointed ministers, including a Commander of all Armies, a Lord of the Admiralty, a Bishop and a Witchfinder General. Revolutionary posters urging the King's execution have been appearing all over Hay in recent days.

Commented Paul Harris, First Minister of the Council, "King Richard is guilty of gross dereliction of duty to his kingdom. Although we have no official extradition treaty with the Egyptians, we hope diplomacy on the part of the British government will serve to bring this alleged criminal back to face trial in Hay-on-Wye. A guilty verdict would almost certainly mean the death penalty. Unfortunately some of the North African states have harboured tyrants and we wish to extradite the King before he flees to Libya, the country that sheltered Idi Amin. With this possibilty in mind, the Council feel that should the King gain the status of international outlaw, then no good can accrue to the reputation of Hay around the globe."

So far no comment has been made by the King or his retainers who are said to be holidaying in the Luxor area of Egypt. Rumours that the King is trying to rally support amongst Hay’s population remain unfounded, though the Council of State is monitoring closely any reports of possible sedition.