Opinion: We need to talk about the monarchy
The Queen visited Manchester as part of her Diamond Jubilee Tour today.
The hundreds of people who came to see Her Majesty visit Manchester’s Town Hall reaffirmed the opinion that the Windsor family still attract attention.
Having interviewed some of those in attendance, many drifted into Albert Square during their lunch-break because of the commotion -- not because they were aware the Queen was visiting Manchester today.
Elizabeth II is undoubtedly popular – the public associate words like ‘class’, ‘dignity’ and ‘dutiful’ with her. King Charles III, though, wouldn’t be nearly as popular. His meddling ways under his alter-ego the Duchy of Cornwall and alleged extra-marital affair leave the public to associate less desirable words with him.
After the Queen has passed, republicanism, currently supported by 20% of the population, will grow and it would be time to abolish the monarchy. Even the supermodels known in the press as the collective ‘Wills and Kate’ won’t be able to stop the rot.
The most convincing argument against abolishing the monarchy comes packaged in two words: ‘President Cameron’.
Who would want a politician as head of our state? I doubt many people would. But what is the alternative? We will be stuck with an ancient birth-rite at the top of our society that undermines the aspirations of those who believe in egalitarianism or meritocracy.
When anti-George Bush sentiment was rife in Britain, our Atlantic cousins had a ready-made rebuke: “At least we voted him in.”
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Imagine if Prince Philip called Gillian Duffy a ‘bigoted old woman’, Mr Windsor’s fate wouldn’t be the same as Gordon Brown’s, the electorate wouldn’t be able to vote him out.
While unemployment rises, our class divide widens, and the Coalition Government relentlessly attacks those less well off in our society, the monarchy has become the figure-head of everything that is wrong at the head of our state -- nepotism, nepotism and more nepotism.
She looks fit on the back of
She looks fit on the back of a one pound coin though... not to keen on the 50p.
Liberation, peace and understanding? This is Britain not North Korea. I feel pretty liberated and peaceful before I go to bed each night and do not feel my life is endangered in anyway by the monarchy... Really, who cares?
If you're intelligent enough to Google 'Queen's expenditure' then you're intelligent enough to put your enthusiasm into something more productive instead of whining.
The Queen takes over
The Queen takes over £35,000,000 from tax payers each year and for what? What does she do for this country exactly? Tourism wouldn't fall if we got rid of the monarchy. All the tourist attractions would still be here. Prince Charles takes over £23,000,000 a year... for what? They do nothing, but holiday and pull the wool over traditionalist, brainwashed moron's eyes by doing a few charity things.
In a real democracy there doesn't need to be a head of state. We don't need a King, Queen or President. We need liberation, peace and understanding.
The monarchy do nothing but
The monarchy do nothing but suck money out of the public's purse with a large rusty needle
I totally disagree with your
I totally disagree with your views. The monarchy does a good job and yes it should be updated, modernised and made smaller but it represents the United Kingdom in a positive way throughout the world. I do not believe that the majority of people would want a politician as the Head of State with all the power that that would bring. Let us hope that by the time William becomes king the lesser royals are working for a living and not living off the royal purse. A lot to hope for but if the royals do take stock and make the changes and think the people would accept this.
There's a pretty simple
There's a pretty simple solution to the president Cameron problem - don't vote for him!!!!! Nobody is saying the president should be a politico anyway - go do a little reading up on the Irish system, that's pretty much what we're campaigning for!
If the main argument against
If the main argument against a republic is a politician as head of state and one along the lines of 'Dictator Blair' or President Cameron, then all I can say is this shows a serious misunderstanding of how our government works. The reason why Blair could ignore the will of 1 million protestors is because he is not ultimately answerable to the people. A Prime Minister gets his power from the legislature and is answerable to the monarch and she is the only person in the country who can authorise military action, on the advice of her ministers. If the system was changed to a democracy, power would be in the hands of the people. Blair would not have been able to go to war without a mandate from the people. Politics and Monarchy in this country is in desperate need of a bottom up change. Starting with a change to a republic and to the voting system.
When the Queen dies I imagine
When the Queen dies I imagine the sadness at the Queen's death will turn in to support for the new King especially with a royal funeral and coronation. Constitutional Monarchy works because it's not about the power the monarch has it's the power it stops politicians from having, ie that crucial position of head of state.
It will be a sad day when the
It will be a sad day when the UK becomes a republic. I am happy living within a monarchy, I think the Queen does a good job for the UK. This country would not be the same without HRH, looking forward to King William. In your article you say President Cameron is a good argument against a republic, well, I give you Dictator Blair....now that is a scary alternative! Give me Prince Philip any day, he is quite the wit actually!
Okay, republicanism is
Okay, republicanism is supported by 20% of the British and you want to base your policy on the wishfull thinking that this figure might grow over the years.
In France, opinion polls show that 20 % are Monarchists - and the French Royalists predict that figure will rise considering the unpopularity of their incumbent president and all other 9 presidential candidates. Do you grant them the same right as you claim for yourself?
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