to think it's about time we got rid of the Monarchy?

[clayspaniel]

Now that the Scotland referendum is over, does anyone else think it is now time to have a complete constitutional reform, and discontinue the role of the Queen and all her associated hangers-on?

Dozens of other countries have a monarchy. Ours does not set us apart. If anything sets us apart is the commonwealth since it's the residue of the empire.

The 56p per person argument is tripe (and it's not 56p per taxpayer, it's 56p per person), and even if it were true then 56p x the population = approx 35 million. Think of how much use that money could be elsewhere.

But 69% of the population were in favour of the monarchy in 2012, according to an ICM poll - so you're in the minority.

was this the pre-jubilee poll? Support for the monarchy always follows peaks and troughs depending on what personal circumstances the family happen to be in. For example, their popularity peaked in polls again once prince George was born.

That's partly why some are so cynical and frustrated imo, it's a catch 22. Personally I find it very frustrating that we could make real progress as a country but we're inhibited by people who go soppy at the birth of someone who is guaranteed to live a much more comfortable in life than our own children.

republican here too. Up the revolution

I do think that Charles should not take the throne though and that it should pass straight to William

then you're a republican. if you want a say in who's the head of state, that is.

that's the problem with the monarchy. people like the queen. lucky us she's not a twit. the problem is when we get a twit, we are shit out of luck.

while we are at it, let's do it right. get rid of the C of E. maybe that's another thread though.

Why get rid of the Church of England?

Why not?

I struggle to see what progress we could make as a county if we abolished the Monarchy?

I'm American and have no problems with the only-born citizens rule.

You can still be governor, ala Schwarzenegger.

From the perspective of another from another country, I see the RFam as a little embarrassing fo the UK.

Why do you struggle to see what progress we could make? I'm confused. Having a monarchy is hardly progressive!

My 6 yr old understands the idea that the hereditary principle is inherently unfair and unjust - it's hardly a challenging concept to grasp!

I think William comes across as a knobber.

At any rate, time for it all to go.

Why get rid of the Church of Englan?

I brought up the C of E because the Queen is the "supreme governor" of the church.

When I say get rid of the C of E, I don't mean get rid of the religion. I mean get rid of the privileged place the C of E has here.

no special privileges for anyone.

Why do you struggle to see what progress we could make? I'm confused. Having a monarchy is hardly progressive!

I think she meant what good will come from getting rid of the monarchy, not that we couldn't make progress without one.

Yes, without a doubt. I think they are well past their sell by date. I hate the whole idea of bowing and scraping the that load of scroungers. Personally, I think the monarchy has only got another couple of generations left and then they will be gone. fingers crossed

YANBU. The notion that anyone is born into superiority is bullshit and pretty embarrassing.

And we definitely need separation of church and state.

Mon the republic!

Head of state: I 'll do it

I'd look ossum in a crown. But I want a plane like airforce 1.

What good will come of it is that we'll end the hereditary principle and live in a proper democracy with a formal written constitution.

As a member of the aging population (getting on for 56), I have been a republican all my life, and remain so. I resent monies that could be better used going to an unelected body to use as they wish.

YABU and extremely un patriotic. As it happens SuperWife I don’t feel very patriotic anyway - but might feel more so if we were a more equal and less cap-doffing country. The question was AIBU. It has been very interesting on this thread to see that the vast majority of posters don’t think it’s an unreasonable suggestion.??

The Monarchy is exactly what sets England apart from the rest of the world. WrittenGuarantee’s comparison to Apartheid says it all.

??I for one would be devastated if the Monarchy was abolished. It's the common thread through our chequered history. Just because the Monarchy ceased to exist, it wouldn’t eradicate the whole of our ‘chequered history’. ??

The Prince of Wales has already said that the Monarchy WILL be slimmed down and consist of Him ... (and his chosen few). This still doesn’t make it right!!!??

The Queen has been utterly wonderful in her role as head of state. Remember the turnout to her jubilee? Millions of people on the Thames it was spectacular no other country can do pomp and ceremony like us - this is an embarrassment to our country. People get swept up by the Royal PR surrounding such things - even if they normally don’t consider themselves Monarchists. This is why it would be better to sort out the whole question before the Queen dies - lots of people could well feel overly sentimental about the whole institution at such a time.??

The monarchy costs each tax payer 56p what can you buy for 56p? I think people need to get a grip. If we had a president they would cost us more have you seen how much the president of the United States costs the tax payer? $1.4billion. The Obamas going on Christmas vacation costs $4million. In comparison we get brilliant value for the Royal Family. The cost isn’t the issue as other posters have made clear.?

Sets England apart from the rest of the world. Good heavens. And we thought the Scots had voted No to separation. This is the kind of nonsense that infuriates me.

I think we have gone referendum crazy. Let's have one every year just to keep things interesting. No political party have wanted to run with an anti-monarchy referendum, and I don't believe it's because they haven't considered it or polled on it.

Is it that when we're cheesed off with party politics we cast around for an object to attack, in this case the monarchy, rather than the actual problem which is that we the people aren't satisfied our parliamentarians are leading us effectively.

I'm not convinced abolishing the monarchy would make our lives better or worse. I am convinced we need to hold our politicians feet to the fire to drive the reforms made possible by the Scottish Referendum.

TSSDNCOP, I've been a republican all my adult life, nothing to do with current circumstances at all.

As others have said all this cap-doffing and sycophancy surrounding the royals is very unhealthy in any modern democracy - look at all the column inches devoted to waity Katy now she's pg with a second child. "2 under 2", gasp, horror. So many people take leave of their senses when it comes to the royal family - the OP is right, it's bloody embarrassing.

If (the Queen) had more power, she would have to make decisions that piss some people off while making others happy (you can't please anyone) and at that point she/he would have to become political

And that, I'd suggest, is the whole problem with Charles: he expects influence without the accountability which politicians are supposed to have

I'm afraid I honestly believe that those who think he'll give up commenting on difficult issues when he becomes king are kidding themselves - as we've seen too often, he expects his own way at all times and quickly resorts to self-pity should anyone demur

Does anyone really do the cap doffing though? I don't think even the queen expects people to curtesy anymore.

What do you make of the fact that no party, has offered up a referendum on the Monarchy before? Even the Yes party didn't want to lose the Monarchy.

Are there not more immediate, impactful changes to our democratic system required than a referendum on the Monarchy? Not saying they couldn't be done simultaneously, just in terms of priority.

waity Katy

Do you think being insulting somehow helps get your point across?

It just seems crazy to me, that in this day and age, our head of state is a hereditary position. No election, no given the job by merit or ability, just an accident of birth.

I have no axe to grind with the queen as a person and she clearly works very, very hard. As an institution though, it is a complete anachronism and needs to go.