The King's Speech

So the system we have monarchy is corrupt. In public office for private gain.

King has wealth passed on from monarchies no inheritance tax. No transparency no accountability no freedom of information. £100 million sovereign grant, the most expensive in Europe? Plus money from two Duchies over £20 million each to Charles and William with no corporation tax.

Charles and William vet laws to benefit themselves.

A president has to be accountable by law or can be removed from office.

Yes Nigel Farage could easily have been elected President, and he could just as easily been unelected if he made a mess of things.
Similarly, Nigel Farage could have been the next king if he had been born in the "right" family, with no way to unseat him.
This is not about the personalities of the players, but the pro's and cons of an heredity system verses an elected one.
The point is, when elections "go wrong" you have the rights and opportunity to rectify the mistake at the next election.
How would we rectify the mistake when monarchy " goes wrong", as history shows us, has happened more times than not.

notgran

I posted shortly after this thread started and have just caught up with the many posts. It's gratifying to see so many posts in agreement with me regarding how good King Charles Speech and the new format was. I note that the negative posts are actually mostly from just a couple of people who don't seem to have had a very merry Christmas, which makes me pity them. Lovely that for once I'm in the majority.

I was feeling quite sorry that the thread had taken a turn away from Charles's speech into another direction entirely, but your comment about people commenting not having had a very merry Christmas brought me to my senses.

If that's the thought process of monarchists, I'll stick with republicanism, thanks.

What? You can only have had a happy Christmas if you like the king speech. Dont be ridiculous

So, the Margaret Thatcher/Farage thing.

Thatcher was PM for 11 years. In the unlikely event that she would have wanted to give up all that power to be a figurehead with no power to change laws, what could she have possibly done that was worse that what she did anyway?

Also, Farage. Couldn't get elected to be a milk monitor. Became an MEP through the list system. Not enough people ever voted for him.

As for the idea that elections go very wrong indeed. Are you perhaps suggesting that we shouldn't elect Prime Ministers and MPs. In case we get it wrong?

That's fascism, I suppose.

I prefer the royals to the politicians any time.

I posted shortly after this thread started and have just caught up with the many posts. It's gratifying to see so many posts in agreement with me regarding how good King Charles Speech and the new format was. I note that the negative posts are actually mostly from just a couple of people who don't seem to have had a very merry Christmas, which makes me pity them. Lovely that for once I'm in the majority.

I think Nigel Farage could have been a very strong Presidential candidate in an election.

I find it wearing that Republicans won’t recognise that elections can go very wrong indeed.

In spite of all the evidence over the years.

That’s idealism, I suppose.

volver

No, really. Can we just stop with the "We could have had Thatcher/Boris Johnson/Nigel Farage/Jack the Ripper as President" thing?

It's beyond a joke and its getting very wearing...

Yes it’s wearing, from either side, but you can’t allow one without the other.
We could well have had any of those, or even 😱 Gordon Brown or 😱 Tony Blair. Why Jack the Ripper though?
What makes all the pro President posters presume people would pick a perfect or partially perfect President?
We voted for Brexit -remember?

I’ve often curtseyed to another human being. We had to curtsey to our ballet teacher! Not a problem for me.

What were you, six? Well we're not six any more.

P3 he could well dispense with that eventually.
I was impressed with her good manners and social skills. It’s always good to see that people know how to behave in particular circumstances. I’ve dealt with parents at parent-teacher meetings who haven’t mastered that yet.

No, really. Can we just stop with the "We could have had Thatcher/Boris Johnson/Nigel Farage/Jack the Ripper as President" thing?

It's beyond a joke and its getting very wearing...

BlueBelle

I didn’t watch it nor did I watch the Queen it all seems unnecessary I like Charles and Camilla and I think as Royals go they re probably pretty ok but I don’t like the thought of such vast differences in wealth I m not a communist but think things should be a lot more equal than they are

I m neither supportive nor anti Royals but I would never curtsy to another human being I do not feel my status in life makes me any less a human and I can’t revere another however rich, privileged or titled

The royals are nowhere near the richest people in this country.

I’ve often curtseyed to another human being. We had to curtsey to our ballet teacher! Not a problem for me.

I watched it at 3, and then a bit later on.

I thought the staging and delivery were fine, didn't notice really, to be honest.

I did notice that thanks he gave to keyworkers, and also to the thousands upon thousands of volunteers supporting people in financial need.

I watched it the second time to make sure I hadn't missed him referring to the reasons why people were in such need; he hadn't - although I've seen reports suggesting that even referring to the need was a political statement. Maybe. I found myself sad and angry that all those volunteers are necessary, just so that people can eat and heat.

I speak as a Mild Monarchist: I have nothing per se against either the monarchy or the House of Windsor but I have an awful lot against the government that has let so many people down.

On another planet we might have had Thatcher as President. That gives me pause about the monarchy. Charles says a lot of good things, was quite perspicacious about climate and wrong on a few things but his wealth and privilege puts him out of touch with ordinary people however hard he tries. People struggling with the cost of living, low pay and poverty are not likely to respond positively to his comments imo.

I was disappointed to see Catherine bobbing a curtsey to her inlaws at the Carol service. I was hoping that Charles would dispense with that nonsense.

Here’s Why Britain should ditch king Charles

m.youtube.com/watch?v=qElmEr8RrLg&t=138s

Accepting money from some dodgy people giving honours for cash
Insisting NHS support alternative medicine thinking that coffee enemas cure cancer
Not allowing tenants on Duchy land to buy the land their house sits on its run in a feudal way belonging to another era. Etc etc etc

Keeping money from duchies Cornwall and Lancaster between Charles and William and not paying any corporation tax.

I didn’t watch it nor did I watch the Queen it all seems unnecessary I like Charles and Camilla and I think as Royals go they re probably pretty ok but I don’t like the thought of such vast differences in wealth I m not a communist but think things should be a lot more equal than they are

I m neither supportive nor anti Royals but I would never curtsy to another human being I do not feel my status in life makes me any less a human and I can’t revere another however rich, privileged or titled

Being in the majority doesnt mean a lot to be honest either, especially as opinions tend to shift over time.

Interesting Witzend 😄.

Oreo

Ah, there you are Lucca I’ve been expecting you🤣

It wasn’t rude and it was neccessary.

Volver isn’t bovvered.

Oh I forgot I am not allowed to support Volver….sorry thread monitor. I just don’t like personal attacks. Let me know when I can join in again won’t you.
Nothing necessarily wrong with being in the minority

Normandygirl

Witzend

IIRC, volver, in Thailand (which I have visited twice) it was illegal - and punishable by imprisonment - to criticise the monarchy.

Emphatically not the case here!

"Emphatically not the case here!" but possible.

The Treason Felony act of 1848, a law which makes it illegal to advocate for the abolition of the monarchy and carries a life sentence is still on the statute book.

I’m not sure that means much.
AFAIK there is still a law - never repealed - to state that all men between 16 and maybe 40, must go and practice their archery at the butts every Saturday.

And another to state that any Welshman found within the city walls of Chester (I think) after sunset maybe be shot by any bona fide resident with a crossbow.

I may watch it again because I became distracted by the Kings appearance. His suit looked enormous as though he had lost a lot of weight and needed his clothes altering (which I know is very unlikely) …the suit I mean. The left sleeve of the jacket looked empty

Charles is sitting on a huge fortune, most of which is either the result of slavery, unique and unjust tax breaks or the state allowing him and his family multi-million pound income from state assets
True and just so wrong.

Or even "necessary". 😂