Radio 4 debate - Do we need a monarchy?

[Aintshesweet]

Glad this is being debated

bludy hellfire, link didn’t post

here

So I’ve worked with international organisations like NATO and the UN and laterally in life with international business and you’d be surprised how much soft power they can yield, in terms of diplomacy in a away a prime minister can’t.
I’ve also met a few of them and the ones I met worked hard and were generally well liked. They also bring in ££££ in tourism, yes the buildings would still be there but the appeal remains the family.

ALL OF THIS

'William is proving himself to be petty, angry, lazy, and a cheater.'

Proving himself?

Don't know what info you've had access to that the rest of us plebs haven't - could you elucidate?

I hate the RF but I hate Billy Bragg even more.
Can we get rid of Billy first?

😂😂😂😂😂. News! One person speaks for the whole world!

Only on MN.

I do a lot of travelling for work and if the RF is discussed, most, if not all, the people I talk to like them. You and your acquaintances don't have to like them, of course, but please don't call other people liars for having a different experience to you. It's rude.

For me the Queen WAS the royal family and now she has gone, its not the same..
In saying that though, I do like King Charles and I dont understand all the hate that he gets, he has done alot for charitable causes too
Same for Camilla, people hate her for no reason and have spent decades tearing her appearance and character to shreds

PollyPeptide, the pp has been plopping all over threads making 'true fact statements ' that are basically a load of stirry bollocks.

Oohhhhh. I got caught. 🤦

Tbh I'm on the fence.

While I think it should be stripped down. We already have elected figures. And the thought of another boris /trump head of state makes me shudder

You have misunderstood

Boris is an elected politician

A president would be a figurehead no political power

Also trump is totally irrelevant. The us combines PM and head of state . Completely different

Also there is no law that we must have anyone !

You have no idea that a president would be a figurehead with no political power.

There is no law that we must have anyone, but we must have someone to represent the UK. So if there is no hereditary monarch, who decides?

'Boris is an elected politician' - well, yes, but surely if you want the monarchy abolished you're going to have to elect an alternative head of state - or if you choose not to have a HOS in traditional form, the PM role becomes defacto HOS - which gives us the possibility of BJ as HOS. If you don't want that option how do you ensure that the choices are apolitical? Answer - you can't. Whenever an alternative HOS comes up for discussion, David Attenborough is always mentioned (although I'm sure he's far too sensible to want the role), but Attenborough is political, in that he speaks out about climate change , limiting population growth, is quoted as saying that many in the UK were fed up with the EU etc.

The argument is that we should have someone as HOS who is elected by the populace. Knowing our proclivities we'd end up with Boris Johnson, Joey Essex or Stephen Fry. Gawd help us.

No political power is the standard for presidents
Figureheads
And if you don't like them - they'd get voted out
Plus terms are limited

As it is we have unelected Windsors sticking their noses into laws to exempt themselves

'No political power is the standard for presidents'

Try telling that to Xi.

Or, of course, Putin, Biden, Ramaphosa.

A president would be a figurehead no political power

How do you know that's the model we would go for?

No political power is the standard for presidents

France and USA?

For me the Queen WAS the royal family and now she has gone, its not the same..

This. Perhaps it won't survive now that those two jokes have taken over. It may have done if it had gone straight to Kate and Wills but they have turned it into an expensive, self indulgent joke and it is just not supported.

We would always need someone other than the PM simply because one person can't do everything and we need soft diplomacy and a sense of continuity. It's good for tourism, stability and the national image. Good diplomatically too. ,Republicans may not like it but many other countries respect our monarchy (well they did before the Harry and Meghan shitshow) and like the link to British history. To me it's better the devil you know. Presidents, prime ministers etc come and go, but the monarchy represents stability. We could always end up with a Putin.

This can't be true. Please make fun of us for having a RF.
Very undemocratic. Yes they have a lot of power but that is dangerous. Look as how it's used to protect a pedophile, used to deceive a 17yr old to bear heirs, exterminated and the same power used to white wash adultery and deceit but used to vilify a mixed race woman.
All they do is travel, enjoy fashion, grandeur and socialise with tons of staff to do everyday things for them even book flights, drive, shop, clean etc. Yet they avoid takes and hold on to too much property and land while the "lowly commoners" suffer.

Nurses, teachers, rubbish collectors, doctors etc; now those work hard but no domestic staff and pay taxes on earnings, spending and inheritance.

Well said. The tories, RF and media feed off each other and it's to the country's detriment.
They spend millions telling the public otherwise but anyone who can analyse for a minute can see through it.

Yes I want the royal family.

I like the whole notion and practise of having the BRF.
We don't need it like we need water and clean clean air and food, however, we are all the better for it.
I trust the human, and not perfect, Royal Family much more than I trust the politicians to represent me internationally and diplomatically.
I am aware of their failings but overall I approve.

People who say the Royal Family is adored abroad must be living in a fantasy world. Yes, some people like the fairy tale and pomp, even those who think it’s all nonsense. BUT on a deeper and more serious level, the world is very aware of and many countries bear the scars of the legacy of the abuses overseen by the British Monarchy.

Times have changed. Britain and the Monarchy are now facing scrutiny for past and present abuses. He respect the Royal Family once had is well and truly gone. The foundation of it is also ridiculous and only children under 10 believe this nonsense about princes and princesses.