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Back in the day I invented my own argument, the 'argumentum ad Shirley Williams' (although Roy Hattersley would have been an equally good alternative), for why I was in favour of retaining the constitutional monarchy. In effect it is that a figurehead 'President' who... 1/
...had emerged as a second- or third-rate politician from the British parliamentary system - as they almost inevitably would have done - would have been unable to resist the impulse to demonstrate why they would actually have been 'Britain's Greatest Prime Minister' if they... 2
...had not been passed over by their jealous colleagues and a cruel electorate indifferent to their political genius, by leveraging whatever power the constitution and convention apparently gave them to stick their oar in and fuck up whatever unpopular things the government... 3
...was trying to do at the time.
This was rendered redundant by John Bercow and his behaviour as Speaker. I voted 'remain' and still would, but the machinations of Bercow and various shithole politicians from all sides of politics was appalling... and actually enabled... 4
This was rendered redundant by John Bercow and his behaviour as Speaker. I voted 'remain' and still would, but the machinations of Bercow and various shithole politicians from all sides of politics was appalling... and actually enabled... 4
...Boris 'Jabba the Hut' Johnson to become Prime Minister. The second least likely person to do so (after Liz Truss).
The glory of the British system is that Boris was an employee of the Monarch, and only had control over the levers of power insofar as parliament allowed him.
The glory of the British system is that Boris was an employee of the Monarch, and only had control over the levers of power insofar as parliament allowed him.
And I think that the British constitutional monarchy is key to that. The Royal Family may well be undeserving - although I think they try their best and do a lot of good work - but the point is that they haven't got a 'mandate' to do anything. 6(?)
And they understand that they aren't entitled to try.
But the Monarch is the ultimate authority from which State power is devolved, and the 'government of the day' is not legally the final authority controlling instruments of state power. 7
But the Monarch is the ultimate authority from which State power is devolved, and the 'government of the day' is not legally the final authority controlling instruments of state power. 7
So, ultimately, there's a two word response to anyone suggesting that the UK should become a republic: John Bercow (although one could add '...the poisonous dwarf'). 8
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