The Queen’s success rested on her firm understanding of the principles of constitutional monarchy in a democratic state. She took seriously her leading role in the great occasions of each year and of her reign.
Every year saw her distribution on Maundy Thursday in spring, her Remembrance day acts so we do not forget all those who gave their lives in war, Trooping the  colour in summer and her unifying Christmas message. There was the annual  rhythm of the sporting events she liked to attend and time spent in Balmoral and Norfolk outside London.
The reign brought us royal weddings and state funerals, Jubilee celebrations and one off events from the Olympics to World Cup competitions where she  would play her part.She hosted Heads of State visiting from abroad and travelled to many countries as our leading Ambassador.
She opened Parliament and set out the government’s plans in the Queen’s speech from the throne. Written in neutral language it is heard in silence by all parties. MPs then return to the Commons to debate it, support or criticise it, putting living politics into the measured plain prose of the original.
Her success in avoiding political controversy was absolute. She did not find herself in papers based on leaks of partisan or one sided views she was alleged to have let slip in private because she did not allow herself such views. In conversation she was brilliant at being interested in whoever she spoke to without letting slip a viewpoint of her own that some would disagree with and think too political. She did ask the occasional question that made the news, as when she asked why the economic experts had not foreseen the coming economic crash in 2008. She spoke for most of the country when she asked that.
September 10, 2022
It is a pity she did not ask the same question about our present energy crisis. It might have forced rather more public discussion of the underlying causes.
September 10, 2022
Charles has already blotted his copy book. Spider letters to ministers, audiences with ministers, speeches on political climate change rot- his predictions proven utterly false, WEF extremism.
The Queen will be missed as a perfect example for a head of state. Sadly her son over decades never learned his lessons from her conduct. So I do not hold out much hope from him. As for his wife, no thank you.
September 11, 2022
Correct. He may keep quiet in public now …. but he won’t in private. He has been a partisan prince all his life; he cannot simply announce that he no longer is and expect us to believe it.
September 10, 2022
It’s a pity that the ERG did not have more respect for her, instead of blustering her into consenting to an unlawful prorogation of Parliament, certainly.
September 10, 2022
You really are obcessed with the ERG NHL.
Parliament voted.
Not the ERG
September 11, 2022
Martin may not be at the front of the protesters but never short of protest.
September 11, 2022
Well it was not âunlawfulâ until spider woman and the rest of the supreme court invented new law and decided it was.
September 10, 2022
@Mark
Spot on, why did all the new age “experts” & Energy Ministers since Ed Miliband not understand ” Mind the gap ” and happily posed blowing up proven reliable Power Stations like foolish Nicola Sturgeon for cheap votes.
September 10, 2022
Yes she set an example in the conduct of monarchy in a democratic society that was impecable. One that her son gives every impression he will follow.
Her question on the failure of economics to foresee anything economic of a useful nature perfectly reflected the views of many of her subjects.
September 10, 2022
Alas we already know Charlesâs daft, deluded, wrong headed, unscientific & patently grossly hypocritical views on things like climate alarmism, quack medicine, organic food production⊠We cannot unlearn this.
September 10, 2022
400 Doctors and Professionals Declare International Medical Crisis Due to Covid Vaccine Injuries and Deaths see the Dailysceptic.org. The Statistic certainly seem to support this yet still vaccination even of the young who were never at any risk anyway continue? So why?
September 10, 2022
The authority to inject five to eleven year old children with the so-called vaccines against Covid 19 was allowed to lapse on September 1st with no publicity.
The declaration with its reasoning is frightening. Everyone should read it.
September 11, 2022
+1
September 10, 2022
LL,
+1
Charles preached his views very loudly for decades and we are now expected he will behave differently at 73years!
Perhaps he should have learned to keep quiet about 20 years ago when succession planning was already underway?
September 11, 2022
I’d like an explanation on how his car runs on cheese and wine, I hope it works on rotten cheese and sour undrinkable plonk! Otherwise what a waste.
September 11, 2022
There can be little doubt that running the Aston off waste wine and cheese products and the expensive adaptations produces far more co2 and pollution than using petrol and cost far more too.
September 10, 2022
Good Morning,
I would like to see the Monarch state his views on certain issue, for example the United Kingdom and our ‘constitution’.
Your last paragraph, why economists didn’t spot the coming recession, could be asked again, and here’s a probable answer:
Bailey also cast doubt on when, or whether, the Bank would start to sell the bonds it purchased under quantitative easing, in a process known as quantitative tightening (QT).
Bailey said QT was ânot intended, for obvious reasons, to cause a disruption to the market. The programme, which has been predictable and has a gradual element, is all conditioned on the logic that we need to behave in a way that avoids disruptionâ.
With the government about to sell more debt to fund its support package, the Bank appears keen to avoid pushing debt yields even higher by contributing the supply of bonds to the market.
While the Bank has raised rates to 1.75%, it is far behind where the market believes it should be, and it appears this will remain the case.
Translation — Bailry would rather do nothing, as usual, because it’s probably too late anyway.
September 10, 2022
There’s a decent article on zerohedge.com today(10/9):
“Abandoning Sound Money leads to Tyranny and Ruin.”
It certainly does!And sound money is the very opposite of what we have in the USA,UK and increasingly Europe.
September 10, 2022
Quite so, every now and then ZeroHedge has some excellent articles. It’s my go-to website when I want to be scared!
September 10, 2022
+1 Sunak and Bailey very much to blame! Spending the loot appallingly too.
September 10, 2022
Good morning.
To me this is the most successful role the Monarchy has performed. They are non-political and can form long standing relations and bonds with other heads of state outside the political cycle of the UK – Continuity UK !
Sadly with her passing, and a new PM, the UK has lost much needed experience. The Queen when coming to the Throne had Sir Winston Churchill with his vast knowledge, experience and gravity to rely on. We currently have neither. I would argue that, never before have our institutions and their collective wealth of knowledge and experience been so greatly needed, and that includes people like our kind host.
The late Queen will undoubtedly be missed much more than we all realise. There will be a time of readjustment but as we have experienced throughout our history, we will endure.
September 10, 2022
Don’t be too gloomy or despondent, Mark B. The Queen was only 26 and we had come through 6 years of war and Churchill was in his 80s. Now we have a King of 73 and a PM in her late forties with plenty of experience to draw on. Furthermore, our King has a Consort who is a very wise and shrewd lady who will be of enormous support.
This time last week our PM could never have imagined what would confront her from Thursday on this week. She has responded admirably and is no doubt working all hours behind the scenes to keep her programme on track. Stand back and give her a chance.
September 10, 2022
Well said George.
I completely agree with you.
September 10, 2022
Peter2 Me too!
September 10, 2022
Truss was appointed from Wokery- Cameronâs A list- therefore her appointed quota woke cabinet is no surprise. This is following the left wing notion/agenda which demonstrates to me she has caved in to that agenda and shows a distinct lack of leadership.
Can anyone say how she has changed their lives for the better while she has been in one of the highest offices of state? Any changes to N.Ireland protocol? Condones Johnsonâs behaviour? Lockdown that ruined peopleâs lives and the economy? Supports war with Russia? Thinks Russia should be forced out of Crimea? Promoted Kwertang from BEIS to chancellor who was meant to lead on energy! Remind me how did our nation get to this point on energy- certainly not Russia.
September 10, 2022
100% agree George. Ignore the naysayers.
September 10, 2022
Well Camilla seem to be sensible enough I agree but her education seems to be one O-level then finishing school in Switzerland and then six months studying French at The University of London Institute in Paris according to Wiki.
September 11, 2022
Like with Carrie we rely on safe educated broad formation of views and support for those in positions of influence. But in doesn’t always work well.
September 10, 2022
Yes, for goodness sake let’s give people a chance.
September 10, 2022
That endurance would be more secure if we took the example of,say,Austria and how she carved out an affluent position for herself despite a vastly reduced standing in the world following the end of the Habsburg Empire.The UK still carries a pretentious imperial superstructure which is enormously expensive(and financed by debauching the currency) and leads to misadventures overseas.
September 10, 2022
She made a mistake over Diana’s funeral. But quickly learned her mistake and quickly rectified it (sign of humility). Hardly putting a foot wrong over 70 years. The monarch is ultimately here to serve the country not the other way around. She adapted the monarchy since Diana’s funeral so that it became more modern (and intersting and more warm / human / fun / in touch but still serious / dignified) to serve modern Britain. The monarchy became more popular as a result. And she now even more popular overall than Diana. The Queen contributed billions to the economy by the Royal brand she embodied and shaped. Psychologically, she brought calm to the country in hard times. And exemplified, wonderfully the best of our Judaeo-Christian / Greco-Roman values which the the country and Western world need so badly right now.
Amazing legacy of patriotism.
September 10, 2022
You keep wittering on about “Greco-Roman values”;would you like to tell us what they were/are?
And if you look at the Roman Empire and the Greek/Alexandrian empires that preceded it,you will see that they were mediterranean and predominantly eastern empires-that’s where the wealth and the biggest cities of the time were.The west is largely a Germanic construct,see Charlemagne,with assistance from the Roman Pope-the main survivor from the disintegration of the western empire.
September 10, 2022
I don’t just mean Greco-Roman (but of the pagan cultures . civilisations, mainly the Greco-Roman).
By Greco-Roman, I mean. The best of Greek Culture / Civilisation:
1) Democracy 2) Philosophical way of thinking (Aristotle and Plato). 3) Literature and the idea of Heroism (i.e. Odysseus, Jason of the Argonauts and so on) 4) Love of competitive sport i.e. The Olympic Games 5) Concepts of beautiful architecture
By Greco-Roman, I mean, the best of Roman Culture / Civilisation:
1) Stoicism 2) Rule of Law 3) The importance of national structures / engineering projects 4) Patriotism 5) The importance of military training (
But I also believe we’ve benefitted greatly from other pagan cultures and civilisations and religions and philosophies. But Greco-Roman has been huge in the West.
Something like that
September 10, 2022
But pagan cultures / civilisations that are tempered by our Judaeo-Christians values / spirit (I mean not everything about the Romans was good – far from – but a lot was).
September 10, 2022
I’m wittering on because the modern world is watering down / dumbing down these great values that helped to make / made this country great!
September 10, 2022
Perhaps for me the greatest concept from our Greco-Roman heritage is that of the HERO.
The monsters in the Greek myths aren’t meant to be taken literally. They are meant to represent first and foremost certain monsters in ourselves that we have to do battle with through life. So for example, the Cyclops is the danger of looking at things in a very one-dimensional way. The Sirens, for example, represent the danger of excessive femininity in a man. And so on. That we have to have the heroic courage to enter into ourselves and fight these monsters in ourselves (instead of over-externalising or projecting these onto to others). And it’s an adventurous journey of self-improvement.
To a degree, they also represent monstrous behaviour we have to encounter from others in the world. And also that life itself is a journey of discovery overall.
This all applies to boys, on rites of passage to grow into proper, mature men. But also for people in general at any age in their lives.
But overall it’s about an internal struggle or battle to conquer the monsters in ourselves and allow virtue in us, represented by things such as the Golden Fleece to be freed and to flourish. Something like that. This is only just one part of ‘Greco-Roman’ but it’s huge. Our nation, culture and civilisation depends on people fighting these monsters in themselves and bringing forth the golden fleeces!
September 10, 2022
Hmmm, these Judaeo-Christian values of which you (often) speak. Do they include:
Love thy neighbour as thyself?
And:
Now, I assume you believe all this stuff. So, not much chance of heaven for one of the richest people in the world?
September 11, 2022
It’s an age-old heresy, which you are falling into, to think that wealth is necessarily evil.
‘Rich’ here means someone 1) who idolises wealth over God 2) and / or acquires wealth immorally 3) and / or spends it or uses it immorally including being selfish in not being generous towards others with if. NOT about the amount of wealth. At end of day it is down to the conscience of each person whether they are idolising money and / or acquiring it immorally and / or using it well once they have it.
September 11, 2022
So the synthesis between what is best about pagan religions / philosophies / cultures is a wonderful thing!
St Paul was a Roman Citizen and a Greek scholar.
Cyrus the Great, described as anointed or holy in the Old Testament, was a pagan – a Persian, fire-eating Zorastrian – like the Three Wise Men!
September 11, 2022
Lastly, Dickens’ Christmas Carol is a BRILLIANT Christian tale. Scrooge’s problem isn’t that he is wealthy but that he is a stingy old b—–d with it! And that he over-focuses on wealth at the cost of his relationship to his family and friends and at the cost of living a balanced, healthy life with a healty interest in the finer things of like outside the acquisition of wealth. And for all this he above all commits idolatry because money is his god and where he refuses to love others with it (for loving God is also about loving neighbour – or others).
September 11, 2022
So perhaps Dickens might be a better guide than Greco-Roman heritage?
September 11, 2022
There’s lots of value to be garnered from both!
The Romans also founded many old towns and settlements in England. Besides the Roman baths in Bath where I remember having a great tea with my Mum and Dad a long time ago!
September 11, 2022
Lastly, Dickens loved the ancient Greek Homer. And even more the wonderful Arabian Nights (Arab culture) ..
September 11, 2022
Lastly, who paid for the building of magnificent Westminster Abbey. It wasn’t the poor (in wealth) monks but the monarch and knights and merchants and tradesmen and so on.
September 11, 2022
Lastly, it could also be that Christ was calling him to a life of poverty like St Francis of Assisi (or a nun in a convent or whatever) just as He calls married men to a life to aquire wealth for their family and others, including paying taxes. And / or that Christ was testing him with temporary poverty to break some harmful addiction to money the man might have had. The key here is to follow God’s will which can also be impacted by our particular gifts or talents that we are born with or aquire.
September 10, 2022
The Queen was a figurehead who stayed out of politics – a remarkable achievement over the course of seventy years.
Her popularity was boosted by becoming the monarch at a young age. Media coverage of her life was immense and by and large favourable.
September 10, 2022
We are considerably less free today than we have ever been. This political attack on our most sacred freedoms has been strategically engineered with malicious intent. What is the point of a Constitutional Monarchy whose primary purpose is to defend the people’s rights from political harm when it fails to do precisely that?
I am no republican. The idea for example of Cameron, Brown, May, Starmer, Blair or Khan as President of the UK is so hideous that I would suggest most would commit Hari Kari if ever such a circumstance ever materialised. But, we need a defence of individual freedoms right now and that defence isn’t coming from the odious political or bureaucratic class.
If Charles tries to use his influence to drag this nation into a WEF inspired ‘Green utopia’ he’ll destroy the monarchy and our people
September 10, 2022
His Majesty’s carbon footprint is more than forty times the average Englishman, so rumours of his green credentials have been vastly overestimated.
September 11, 2022
But it is do as I say, not do as I do.
September 10, 2022
âIfâ Charles tries to use his influence to drag this nation into a WEF inspired âGreen utopiaâ heâll destroy the monarchy and our people!
He surely has already and will continue to do? We cannot un-learn what we know of his facile, deluded views. Not only that But P. William is almost equally deluded and hypocritical. This while they fly around on their private jets, helicopters and Aston Martinâs lecturing other about their weekâs break in Spain.
âJust 96 months to save worldâ, says Prince Charles this about 14 years ago since then what has been the Prince Charles personal travel and energy bills bills ÂŁ20 million perhaps?
September 10, 2022
I think he’ll see the need for balance in a headlong rush away from fossil fuels which risks Armageddon from dictatorships which continue with them, towards a more balanced approach where our technology leads to improved costs which leads to economic uptake.
September 10, 2022
Let us hope so.
September 11, 2022
It would be useful if the Government sent him on an overseas trip – to Sri Lanka. So he can see for himself the consequences of following his (and the UN/WEF’s) “Green utopia.”
September 11, 2022
+1
September 10, 2022
+1 exactly. A busy body abusing his power to gain influence for which he should not intervene.
September 10, 2022
Why do you think that? Are you under the illusion that a silent majority agree with what seems to be the majority view on here that anything relating to climate and ‘Net Zero’ is ‘greencrap’?
If you are under that illusion, I think you are very wrong. I would guess that maybe as much as 75% of people are worried (rightly, or wrongly) about ‘man-made climate change’ and think the government is doing too little about it. I would even venture the opinion that most people agree with Charles’ position on this and that he is right and governments are too slow.
I wonder why you think most people agree with your position. Is it because this site is a bit of an echo chamber for such views?
September 11, 2022
The idea and tolerance of monarchy was held together brilliantly by such a fine example of what it can be by our Queen Elizabeth. Her rule somehow balanced the extremes and blatant mistakes made by politicians regularly over the decades. It remains to be seen whether Charles can swallow his beliefs and follow such fine examples of his mother. The alternative is a descending value monarchy, and a wider dismissal of its pomp and pageantry which part way fools the unwary into a belief that UK is something it isn’t. Good luck – you will need it.
September 11, 2022
I fear for our freedom, our freedom of speech, for our development of democracy
We shouldnât being afraid of discussing our constitutional monarchy evolving into a republic without fear of being called a traitor or anti-british
I see weâre following a 1950s BBC template and script to maintain the government status quoâŠ.we need to constantly evolve or burn like Rome, and I donât mean evolving into a world government â let aim for democracy first
September 10, 2022
An exemplary record over so many years, of neutrality on contentious issues that divided opinion in the country, which let’s hope her successor will follow. There was however one exception. 26th February 2021: ‘It’s obviously difficult for people if they’ve never had a vaccine… but they ought to think about other people rather than themselves.’ Here the Queen was poorly advised by her officials. It is now widely acknowledged, a year or so later, that the Covid vaccine does not protect against infection, and does not protect against spread. Its only value is precisely that it reduces the risk of serious illness and death to oneself. So it’s a personal decision to be taken, and nothing to do with the selfish motive that was very regrettably implied.
September 10, 2022
Even the âprotects against serious illnessâ is highly questionable if you look at the statistics. Certainly for the young and children (who were never at any sig. risk anyway) the vaccines have done more harm than good statistically.
Also by killing and damaging many young victims they have caused far more loss of quality life years. We currently have significant excess non covid deaths so what is the breakdown vaccinated or not and the causes. It does not seem to be made public – so why is this I wonder? If it showed what the government wanted it to show it surely would be published. The USA does now seem to be rowing back on Childrenâs covid vaccines at long last!
September 10, 2022
+1
September 10, 2022
If it even does that Philip P, I believe its only use is to line the pockets of big pharma and their sheep!
September 10, 2022
Our Queen was exceptional, but she will be a hard act to follow. I doubt Charles will as anywhere near as popular as the Queen, as he is already making controversial remarks regarding the environment. He is entitled to his views, but he is not entitled to use his position to push those views onto us and the world. He could well be the last monarch unless he treads very carefully.
September 10, 2022
The Queen undoubtedly had her views but kept them to herself. A lesson Charles has never learned.
September 10, 2022
Prince Philip (I have it on good authority) was a climate realist.
September 11, 2022
I can imagine William looking on might be thinking ‘what sort of a family life and what horrendous expectations await me?’. He must hope and encourage that Charles’ seeming intention is to trim down the hangers-on, I mean extended relations, living an unwanted public life in exchange for extreme comfort. ‘Celebrities’ crave it, but the Royal Family have to grin and bear it.
September 10, 2022
She was a very clever and astute lady. Charles has a big job to follow where she left off.
There is no place for his preaching on his misguided environmental hobby hordes.
The Monarcjy is in a precarious position so he would do well to learn from the great lady.
Rest in Peace your majesty.
September 10, 2022
Just a reminder that life carries on and today coal is generating more than windmills. 3.4% vi’s 2.7%.
Perhaps you could pass this nougat on to JRM and explain despite his views and vigour, windmills don’t work without wind. (or subsidy).
September 10, 2022
Well said Ian.
September 11, 2022
And yet according to gridwatch the contributions from various sources looks to vary through the day.
At 08:50 coal (2%) is generating less than wind (5%) and solar (5%).
All three are dwarfed by nuclear (19%) and CCGT (57%)
September 10, 2022
Would it be correct though to suppose that the constitution can demand of the monarch more serious work than cutting ribbons and accepting bunches of flowers while not revealing personal views?
When the constitution does make serious demands, the way the monarchy has evolved creates the risk that either those will be shirked or if adhered to give rise to vehement and widespread outcry.
September 10, 2022
The most important role for the Monarchy is to occupy the top position and deny it to the ambitions and megalomanic desires of politicians. The Prime Minister may accrue most of the powers of the Executive but he/she will always have to bend their knee to someone else, it neatly reminds them of their limits.
September 10, 2022
Very astute comment. Who checks the checkers.
September 10, 2022
In what, real, sense? A Prime Minister can declare war. A Prime Minister can call a General Election. A Prime Minister can get laws passed and if Royal Assent were ever withheld …
It’s an antiquated institution with no place in the modern world.
September 10, 2022
A charming and appropriate tribute. The queenâs awareness of the need for political neutrality was a reflection of her intelligence and self discipline. The avoidance of political bias on the monarchyâs part, and on the part of others such as the Church of England, is now a thing of the past. It somehow symbolises the continuing decline in our way of life, and the distancing of the elites from the lives of ordinary citizens.
September 10, 2022
I don’t have high hopes for her successor. Already a political animal.
Slightly off topic, but why is half the country shutting down? From the Monetary Policy Committee delaying meeting for a week (aren’t we in an economic emergency?) to the the next rate rise to school sports events purportedly being cancelled etc. Flags at half mast by all means, but a lot of this stuff seems pretty excessive, meaningless, and more about those exercising their power to ban or postpone things.
The late very much lamented Monarch would surely not have approved of much of this. She was after all, of the generation which created the “keep calm and carry on” slogan.
September 10, 2022
Agree – seems the country enjoys revisiting a form of lockdown.
September 10, 2022
Agreed – numerous things cancelled for no good reason at all. I would not have thought the late Queen would have wanted this at all. She was a the show must go on person surely.
September 11, 2022
Even Horse racing was halted!
September 10, 2022
Now there’s another Bank Holiday to be paid for by whom? Another random 0.3% knocked off GDP. Churchill’s funeral was held on a Saturday and King George’s didn’t warrant a Bank holiday so why now? It would be better to show our respects to Queen Elizabeth by working hard, as she did.
September 11, 2022
I had hoped the funeral would be on a Sunday, it will be hard for SMEs to accommodate a 5% loss of turnover this month, all the costs associated also have to be paid including increasing energy bills.
I suggest government cancel one of their conference days if not the whole week to crack on with business at hand, and decide how they are going to help business to go for this growth they desire when they just cut away a day that we canât make up elsewhere.
September 10, 2022
“She did not find herself in papers based on leaks of partisan or one sided views she was alleged to have let slip in private because she did not allow herself such views.”
But Cameron persuaded her to make public comments deliberately able to be interpreted as being opposed to Scottish independence during the 2014 referendum. I expect Charles will follow this precedent of making private and public comments which can be interpreted as being in support of his own political positions. Try implementing the Rwanda policy and see what he says.
September 10, 2022
@ Roy Grainger “But Cameron persuaded her to make public comments deliberately able to be interpreted as being opposed to Scottish independence during the 2014 referendum”.
Shocking, but perhaps less so than when Chamberlain persuaded her father to make a public show of standing with him on the balcony, deliberately able (and meant) to be interpreted as being in favour of the appeasement policy during the 1938 Munich crisis.
Much nicer to go along with the pretence that the monarchy is wholly separate from political life.
September 10, 2022
+1
âKing Charles to be Defender of the Faith but also a defender of faithsâ says the Guardian – How can you defend all the âfaithsâ when so many of them patently contradict and seriously conflict with each other? Doubtless he will continue to try to defend the climate alarmist faith/religion though – in his grossly hypocritical do as I say not as I do manner.
September 10, 2022
If you are going to defend one load of nonsense, you might as well defend all nonsense.
September 10, 2022
King Charles III has been bred more carefully than the finest pedigree dog, the most expensive racehorse. He has been brought up, since his birth, to be a servant of the people under God. It is, literally, in his DNA, just like his mother’s.
So continuity and confidence are not misplaced.
God save the King!
September 11, 2022
That was in the days before they understood the weaknesses that can be (and frequently are) bred into pedigree dogs over generations of in-breeding. There are many examples of genetic weaknesses within the Royal Houses of Europe, including ours, since they were all very closely related.
We are lucky that Prince William is the result of a wider gene-pool and Prince George even more so.
September 11, 2022
Correct.
September 10, 2022
If ever there was to be a demonstration of how a modern state should be run, we have just demonstrated it to the world.
For a change of both sovereign and government to have taken place so seamlessly within a single week is unprecedented and will probably not be repeated. Yet it has taken place without a hint of protest or difficulty and has not raised so much as an eyebrow, so well has it been conducted.
With institutions so strong and a people so fiercely proud of our achievements and history, it is not surprising that these isles have survived unconquered for more than 1,000 years.
Long may it continue. God save the King.
September 10, 2022
Spot on.
September 10, 2022
Great post ChrisS
September 10, 2022
Are you suggesting that our new King will not speak out in favour of the green revolution and the programme if net-zero
September 10, 2022
I know woke ideology will undermine Monarchy. In this regard John’s party sneaky embrace of this most pernicious and divisive Marxist ideology is utterly unacceptable. Even now in the week of our Queen’s passing we have US based and UK based pro-Biden and pro-Starmer forces playing the race card against her time as our Head of State, invoking the colonial argument to demand reparations and quite simply trying to demonise the Queen, her family and this nation’s people.
Even Daniel Hannan’s starting to attack diversity insurrection tactics
The Tory party must reject and indeed publicly condemn woke, diversity and CRT politics or else I cannot see a way back for our Constitutional Monarchy
September 10, 2022
The 20th and 21st Century Monarchy, has made an excellent job of anchoring Britain permanently in the 19th Century. Its finest hour in 1815 (Waterloo), led to it ruling most of the world for the rest of that century. It’s been down hill since then. The next few years look like repeating aspects of the grim conditions, of that Victorian era if you are not in the Elite club.
“After Waterloo, Britain faced a bright future, and there was an awareness of that. In 1940, on the other hand, Churchill knew that victory would depend on America, and that the price for that would be high, marking another drop downwards in a continuous spiral of imperial decline. Britain in 1945 was essentially bankrupt, whereas in 1815 it had subsidised its allies, and was the worldâs financial hegemon.” (https://www.military-history.org/).
September 10, 2022
Britain didn’t rule “most of the world for the rest of that century”.If you don’t rule Eurasia you have absolutely no claim or ability to rule most of the world-the essence of geopolitics,both then and now,hence the Great Game,hence Ukraine.
September 10, 2022
Acorn – Indeed. A job without conditions, without pension, without good salary or certainty is seen as the ‘modern’ approach to working.
I’m afraid quite the reverse is true. A job without conditions, without pension, without good salary or certainty was the norm throughout human history until recent decades.
I’m realistic about modernisation btw… my only objection to it is that they call it “modernisation” ! A euphemism for Uberisation.
Lifelogic seems to advocate Uber drivers on minimum wages and conditions working in uber-expensive London rather than black cab drivers earning a self-supporting wage there.
He fails to understand that:
A) Uber drivers and their huge families are subsidised with state handouts
B) the reason that his black cab seems expensive is not that the drivers are overpaid but that his income has not kept pace with the true standard of living.
C) His excellent point the other day (that the government has reduced his ÂŁ4m pot to ÂŁ1m by stealth taxes) explains why black cabs seem so expensive to him – that filched money has been used to subsidise his Uber drivers (among others) !!!
When Tories start talking about ‘modernisation’ cling on to your wallets.
September 10, 2022
Should read “..not kept pace with the true *cost* of living”
September 10, 2022
I have my fingers firmly crossed for King Charles. I forced myself to listen to his speech yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. I am cautiously optimistic that he (to the best of his abilities) will rise to the occasion. He alluded to his charities and other interests needing to be done by others. I believe heâs willing to step up to the mark and try and fill his late motherâs shoes.
He has The Princess Royal and The Queen Consort, Camilla at his sideâŠboth are dedicated and sensible royals.
The death of her Majesty has shocked even republicans as to how upset they feel at her passing. I hope this will refresh us as a nation, bringing us to greater unity.
We have Liz Truss and her team⊠today I am feeling cautiously optimistic for the future of the country. Itâll be an uphill battle, but I feel we are better placed to succeed.
Letâs pray Iâm right.
September 10, 2022
This by far for me is a standout benefit of our system. Paying tribute to the Queen in Parliament earlier today, former Prime Minister Theresa May joked it was the only meeting she knew “would not be briefed out to the mediaâŠThese were not meetings with a high and mighty monarch, but a conversation with a woman of experience and knowledge and immense wisdom. What made those audiences so special was the understanding the Queen had of issues which came from the work she put into her red boxes, combined with her years of experience.”
The Queen had only a short time, from the age of 11 to 25, to prepare for her future role, and what a superb job she did with the constant support and help from Prince Phillip. The vast majority of us are supremely grateful to her and her husband. King Charles has had 70 years of training from his Mother, Father and Grandmother for this role I donât think he should be underestimated.
September 10, 2022
She occupied neutral territory and it was the opinions she kept out rather than those she kept in that held dark forces at bay.
She was the greatest obstruction to Blairism in so far as she could be. The Tories certainly weren’t !
The removal of the Royal yacht Britannia was particularly spiteful and counter productive for the good of the nation and our projection of the ultimate version of soft power. With Britannia she could, therefore, be a visitor rather than a guest and also invite influential people into British territory in remote locations. Yet aid going to despots was viewed as better vfm.
I am not hopeful of our King. He has already shown his partisanship on energy policy and he will not suffer from his own ideas.
September 10, 2022
Why do we need a monarchy?
And please donât say â because we donât want President Blairâ.
If you think there is a need for an apolitical head of state, why must that be decided by the accident of birth that a hereditary monarchy involves. What is the role of this âHead of Stateâ? To host foreign dignitaries? Surely anyone with a bit of personality and life experience could do that. Surely when the top man of France visits, he should meet his equivalent? Not some apolitical figure who lives in one of many palaces etc.
The whole slavish devotion to âRoyaltyâ baffles me.
September 10, 2022
I think you know why people need an anchor .Goverments change,politics change ,some need an example of how to be (not learning from their own) .I certainly don’t perceive myself as a slave,yet most are slaves to money.We need it.We don’t need a monarchy but if you look at world wide tributes it certainly doesn’t do us harm. Elizabeth wasn’t schooled in universities but her emotional intelligence and ability to keep on learning and using the information she gathered (for information is what some confuse for intelligence) cannot be surpassed.Charles will do well as he has love in his speeches and evolves rather than being glued to his salad days. I have thought many a time if the state didn’t pay for the monarchy would we be better off.Citizens would not see anything.The grey suits would simply scrap with double speak.
September 10, 2022
I’m sorry, Mike, but I think it’s very much because we don’t want a President Blair! Or a President Cameron! I want someone to represent this country to the rest of the world who does not have a background in one political party or another. What’s the alternative, if not a politician? I guess it would be some worthy person appointed by… who? A committee? And who would appoint that committee? You get into very tricky ground once you start to consider how an alternative would work (which I see you don’t, Mike). Even for someone like me, not at all a royalist and totally uninterested in royal doings, hereditary constitutional monarchy seems to be the least worst option. We accepted and liked the Queen (at least most of us did) for one thing because there was no argument about her suitability.
September 11, 2022
And if the hereditary principle produces someone completely unsuitable for the âroleâ? But they donât step down? If they like the perks but not the hand-shaking? Would rather be out shooting than meeting the elected Prime Minister. Hang around nightclubs and party with their mates in Ibiza? What would you have happen then?
If you completely removed the monarchy from the political system – no meetings with the PM, no need for âRoyal Assentâ etc. – so they were just a quaint relic from the past whose job it was to put on the ribbons and sashes and entertain foreign heads of state, I could go along with that.
That said, it illustrates the rottenness of the whole system. When one elected head of state visits another they should have meetings in a place of business – an office – and they should stay in a hotel. All this pomp and circumstance costs a fortune and is a waste of public money.
September 11, 2022
The heir to the throne is trained for the role for many years. Nothing’s in perfect but there’s more chance like that of a suitable person occupying it than if some state bureaucrat was found for the job.
September 11, 2022
Mike you could consider our political system has ‘produced someone completely unsuitable for the âroleâ? several times in a row?
September 11, 2022
The last time extreme prejudice was used to remove a king was 1649. Since then we have seen the Bloodless Revolution, the rule of King George handled by regency and the abdication of Edward VIII. We have evolved ways of dealing with unsuitable monarchs that do not involve chopping off their heads. There is no reason to suspect that were it to prove necessary we would do so again.
September 10, 2022
sp government
September 11, 2022
Mike, would you prefer someone from the other dynasties like the Oxbridge PPE classes and who chooses them? Or the power families Bennâs, the Miliband’s, amazing isnât it just how much work Blairs son is given through the State system of funding to set up a powerful training company.
Political dynasties exist alongside Royal dynasties. At least this way we know years in advance what we are going to get, they are trained all their lives for that particular job not parachuted in with a months notice. We also know the French President as most other heads of State liked to meet our Queen. In this country we have been encouraged for the past three decades mainly through our education system (now driven by socialist doctrine) not to be proud of our heritage, especially the English. If I were King Charles this is something Iâd concentrate on resolving.
You say we would get to vote and choose but thats not true is it, we donât have a primary for our political representative and when America chose wrong, an independent person, that person is destroyed by the system, the traitors and turncoats inside the White House. We donât get a choice we get to rubber stamp what the political class put in front of us, we donât truly get a say, never have done. They wouldnât even let the public decide the name of a sea vessel they wanted Boaty McBoat Face thats the one that was picked and the public were behind it but the organisers dismissed their choice. Weâve been told for six years the public made the wrong choice over Brexit it was the âthickâ people that got it wrong. So donât talk to us about voters rights.
September 10, 2022
Having a Head of State and family that is merely an ornamental foreign tourist attraction, may well have been a profitable export. Whether Charles will have a similar level of attraction, time will tell.
The downside of the above has been proven under the Boris administration. The HoC has proved useless at holding his “Executive” to account. His Cabinet has continually been scoring goals from offside positions. A popularly elected and active Head of State, would have refereed the game in favour of democracy; like happens in Republics. The Speaker of the HoC has similarly proved useless.
Having watched some of today’s Charlie comic opera, I think Gilbert and Sutherland would have put in a lot more chirpy singalongs for the audience. But at least, we got to see a lot more public sector employees in funny costumes, that you never knew existed but are paying for.
September 10, 2022
You dont get any political problems in republican countries with Presidents do you acorn.
Hilarious.
September 11, 2022
Ah yes, republican presidents like the French politician who treats parliament like a flock of sheep, or the Italian ex-politician who appointed as PM – in the name of ‘unity’ – a globalist banker that no Italian voted for. Then we have the German SPD President whose pro-Russian energy policies have made him unwelcome in the Ukraine. An EU Head of State forbidden to visit a prospective EU country: surely a first.
We can also cite the Green Party/Socialist President of Austria who has carried his left-wing politics quite openly into the presidency, openly criticizing one of Austria’s main parties with the clear aim of reducing its electoral popularity.
No no, we are better off without all that pretendy-presiding.
September 11, 2022
That German SPD Chancellor preferred to be made welcome in Germany than in a country at the other end of Europe.
September 11, 2022
Scarecely ‘the other end of Europe’ – it’s a shorter distance between the German and Ukrainian borders than between Berlin and Brussels. And there is only one intervening country – Poland.
September 11, 2022
Precisely
September 11, 2022
âPretendy-Presidingâ is a perfect summation.
September 12, 2022
It is well worth paying to separate the pomp from the power. Besides, George III swapped the revenues from the Crown Estates for the Civil List. The Treasury gets billions from that and grudgingly gives back the Monarchy millions.
September 10, 2022
“Charles insists he is ânot that stupidâ to carry on meddling as King”.
He will be biting his tongue and counting to ten many times but his blood pressure will go through the roof as he will be unable to contain himself after a lifetime of quips like his papa , unlike his self-disciplined mama.
He will be an easy target for MSM to wind up, knowing his deep beliefs and track record of controversial subjects.
September 10, 2022
Excellent speech in the HoC Sir John
September 11, 2022
I gather from commentary elsewhere that the Monarch has now relinquished all remaining prerogatives. I had thought that on repealing the 2011 Fixed-Term Parliament Act the Queen would have had her (at least nominal) right to dissolve Parliament and appoint a PM restored. It seems that is not so – or are the commentators mistaken?
As far as I can see, this means that should remainer MPs and Lords take Parliament hostage as they did in 2019, there would still be no way out of the impasse, unless the Supreme Court were to reverse its decision on prorogation.
Effectively, the monarch can no longer help the country by knocking politicians’ heads together, as George V did in 1931.
September 11, 2022
Didn’t she also ask “Why can’t we just leave?”