to think the Queen should refuse this gift?

[WitchesSpelleas]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54915124

"A committee of MPs and peers has been set up to choose a gift "fit" for the Queen to mark the 70th anniversary of her accession, in 2022.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said it would be a "token of our respect". For her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the Queen had a stained-glass window created for her in Westminster Hall."

The Queen has everything she could possibly need, and the money to buy anything she could want.

This gift will be funded by donations from MPs - of course, it's up to them how they want to spend their money - but at a time when so many of her subjects are struggling financially due to the impact of Covid19, I think it would be appropriate for the Queen to ask the MPs to make a donation to a UK charity instead of spending the money on a Platinum Jubilee gift.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

But it’s not a gift for the queen really. It’s a gift for the nation and a permanent reminder of a very rare event

This.

Its not like they'll club in for a Swarovski corgi shaped keyring that will stay in her bag. It will be something that will be somewhere public/historical to mark the achievement.

This just made me LOL

@WitchesSpelleas

It would probably work out at about 47 pence for each poor person. They might be able to buy a tin of beans. Then they'd still be poor.

You've obviously never been in the position where you're scrabbling down the sofa and checking all your pockets to scrape together 50p for a tin of something to eat.

I have actually. I had an upbringing that would be considered virtually Victorian by Mumsnet standards and have suffered significant financial challenges as an adult.

Still doesn't make me naive enough to think that poverty and inequality can be solved by no-one ever having or doing anything nice in case there's someone who can't afford to be involved.

I would actually like to hear from the "family in Newcastle who are relying on food banks to survive."

Because imho, this using poor people as a beating stick towards something people don't like is actually tad bit offensive. And I am seeing it quite a lot lately.

A stained glass window in London won't bring much joy to a family in Newcastle who are relying on food banks to survive.

But generations in the future might want to see something given to the longest reigning monarch, just like people go to view all kinds of historic memorabilia.

Them having meetings about ot is no different than an office getting together to plan a going away party or organizing drinks after work etc...You are being unreasonable

It would be perfectly reasonable for an employer to ask that social events or gifts were planned and discussed outside working hours, especially if the planning were so extensive as to require a committee and meetings, rather than a quick email asking people to shove £2 in the envelope for Lizzie's birthday present.

I’ve just told dh if I ever win the euro millions I’m buying myself a real diamond tiara.
He asked where I would wear it.
I said in bed when I have my first cuppa in the morning.
He thinks I’ve really lost it now.

I think after 70 years effort, HM probably deserves to have the occasion marked in some way.

If MPs choose something by a master craftsman like they did something, that adds to the beauty of the UK, it helps to maintain skills, add money to the economy and provides inspiration & opportunity in the form of apprenticeships it could lead to.

Plus it won't cost you or the general public anything.

Sounds reasonable to me.

@WitchesSpelleas

Is that your attitude to all public works of art (assuming that is the form this 'gift' will take)?

At the moment, frankly, yes. Spending public money on art when the country is in the state it's in, is like putting up Ralph Lauren wallpaper in your living room while your roof is falling on your head.

Ots not public money. Ithat you not by a friend a gift because one of your fellow employees ts the MPs salary...Does your employer tell you how to spend? Do they dictate that you give money to a charity? Do they demand that you not buy yourself or your parent or anyone in your life and instead of your fellow employee who may be skint? No they don't. Because its your private money that you earned. Same with the MOs. Its their money that they earned and can spend it how they feel. Not sure how you claim its public money

[quote JingsMahBucket]@WitchesSpelleas
A stained glass window in London won't bring much joy to a family in Newcastle who are relying on food banks to survive.

Neither will you bring much joy to a poor family in Newcastle either but here you are spreading your misery around for free and unpaid all over the internet anyway.

Your further comments on subsequent thread pages also highlight how shortsighted of a thinker you are as well and lacking of critical thinking skills. Not everyone has to do what you think is best.

You also don't seem to have an understanding on how this impacts histories of countries and archaeological artifacts. Just because you can't see it in London doesn't mean other people won't be able to see it and that it won't enter into the historical record.

Her jubilee is bigger than just "getting a gift from MPs". Multiple people have tried to explain it to you but you're not getting it. At this point I'm not sure if you're doing it deliberately or not.[/quote]
Cringe. This has "I am very smart" written all over it.

We don't know what the gift is yet, of course, but it seems highly unlikely the enjoyment it could bring would be worth more than basic necessities would be worth to the impoverished

Do you never spend money on 'luxuries'? Have you never gone on holiday? Or gone out to dinner? Or bought perfume or nice clothes? Or a new phone? Couldn't you argue that you should be spending that money on 'basic necessities' for 'the impoverished'?

Or perhaps it's up to you how you spend the money you've earned? If so, isn't the same true for MP's?

It's significant enough for them to have formed a committee, so yes, I do think it will take up time that could be better used on something else. I don't monitor MPs' every move, but I do note when they seem to be wasting time.

Who gets to decide what is 'wasting time'? Commemorating a significent event in the nation's history - how often have we had Platinum Jubilees? - would be considered by many as a reasonable use of MPs' time.

You're being petty.

a quick email asking people to shove £2 in the envelope for Lizzie's birthday present.

Did you hear that? The MN gasp?
It's incredibly crass to ask for money. Don't you know, OP?
They can't stopp that low.

It's not like they'll club in for a Swarovski corgi shaped keyring that will stay in her bag

That does sound like a cool present though

You're being unreasonable. It is their money after all. They do an awful lot of charity work to stay relevant.

Surely the point is that this is a token gift. What are they going to spend - maybe £100k? Split that between all the families in Newcastle relying on food banks and maybe they get a loaf of bread each? Sadly her gifting it back to the nation would make diddly squat difference to anyone so she might as well have it.
I bet she bloody hates all these token gifts. She really wants some smelly candles and some nice warm socks and she gets pen knives and ancient artifacts- poor woman!

God almighty.

Do we have to be so bitter and offended over every single little thing?

Do you never spend money on 'luxuries'? Have you never gone on holiday? Or gone out to dinner? Or bought perfume or nice clothes? Or a new phone? Couldn't you argue that you should be spending that money on 'basic necessities' for 'the impoverished'?

Unlike the Queen, I don't own multiple houses or have millions of £ worth of jewellery and artwork in a basement vault. As it happens, I don't very often buy luxuries - for instance, I've only ever replaced my phone when the old one stops working, so about once every 4 years or so. I haven't been on holiday since 2018 and I haven't been on holiday abroad since the 1990s. Most of my money goes on necessities and even more of it will since my husband was made redundant due to Covid19. I do give to charity when I can afford it.

But even if I were better off - it's ludicrous to compare any average person working for their living to the Royal family in terms of what they could afford to give and luxuries they might sacrifice.

@whensmynexthol1day Oh do stop with the twee codswallop like the Queen is a regular woman who just wants socks. Take your slurpy tongue out the queens arse

OP males Scrooge seem positively joyous

Maybe we just need a middle ground. A nice baylis and harding gift set. They're probably already on 3 for 2 in boots.
Assuming the corgi keyring isn't an option of course :(

[quote SentientAndCognisant]@whensmynexthol1day Oh do stop with the twee codswallop like the Queen is a regular woman who just wants socks. Take your slurpy tongue out the queens arse[/quote]
Maybe she does though. Queen and her secret collection of Oddsocks 😁

@Aridane Scrooge is a Dickensian miser who has an epiphany and becomes generous
It bears no relationship to an adult in 2020 expressing an opinion about monarchy

@WitchesSpelleas

Them having meetings about ot is no different than an office getting together to plan a going away party or organizing drinks after work etc...You are being unreasonable

It would be perfectly reasonable for an employer to ask that social events or gifts were planned and discussed outside working hours, especially if the planning were so extensive as to require a committee and meetings, rather than a quick email asking people to shove £2 in the envelope for Lizzie's birthday present.

There aren't "working hours" for an MP. The good ones work all hours, and weird ones, too. I was once involved with a charity that worked with MPs, and I would be just as likely to get a phonecall at 10 pm on a Sunday, or 8am on a Saturday, as during a normal working week, because they'd be at their desk and were just leaving a voicemail for me. (And were surprised when I picked up,)

Of course, there's lazy and venal ones, too. But plenty do more hours than you can imagine - and this is true even for some of the ones whose politics I abhore.

Presumably it is to commemorate her lengthy reign. You would have something to complain about if they asked every citizen to contribute, but if it really is just MPs, why not? She has been Queen for nearly 70 years, and until lockdown was carrying out multiple engagements.
Look at all the money that was spent commemorating Albert and Victoria.

@WitchesSpelleas

Do you never spend money on 'luxuries'? Have you never gone on holiday? Or gone out to dinner? Or bought perfume or nice clothes? Or a new phone? Couldn't you argue that you should be spending that money on 'basic necessities' for 'the impoverished'?

Unlike the Queen, I don't own multiple houses or have millions of £ worth of jewellery and artwork in a basement vault. As it happens, I don't very often buy luxuries - for instance, I've only ever replaced my phone when the old one stops working, so about once every 4 years or so. I haven't been on holiday since 2018 and I haven't been on holiday abroad since the 1990s. Most of my money goes on necessities and even more of it will since my husband was made redundant due to Covid19. I do give to charity when I can afford it.

But even if I were better off - it's ludicrous to compare any average person working for their living to the Royal family in terms of what they could afford to give and luxuries they might sacrifice.

What are you talking about?

I'm not comparing you to the royal family.

I'm comparing you to MP's, who are choosing to spend some of their own money on a 'gift' to the queen. Just as you are free to spend your own money on what you see fit, so are they.

@Aridane

OP males Scrooge seem positively joyous

I don't see why not wanting an official parliamentary gift to be given to a multi-millionaire who could well afford whatever it is for herself, while many of the citizens over whom she reigns are sinking into poverty, is Scrooge-like.

Scrooge was a miser who protected his personal wealth. I don't recall the character ever complaining about money spent by the government.