General UK politics

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The Don said:
If the referendum isn't clear on what should replace the monarchy then I'm not in favour of it. We would run the risk of voting to abolish the monarchy and then spend years failing to agree what, if anything, should replace it.

If the alternative to the monarchy is clearly stated in the referendum then I would be in favour of it.
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Ah, the lesson of Brexit....

Check your pig before purchase. :)

How about an elected President, they're quite fashionable.
Elected by PR (i.e. numbered preference) for a seven year term. Immunity from prosecution for their time in office, unless voted on by Parliament, and removable by a super-majority of Parliament (or if convicted of a serious offense). Seven year term.
A fixed, but generous, salary, official residence(s) and transport while in office, plus pension and post-presidency security paid for by the state.
A ban on holding paid office afterwards, for the length of their service. Completely transparency of land, stock and investment holdings in a public register.
 
catsmate said:
Ah, the lesson of Brexit....

Check your pig before purchase. :)

How about an elected President, they're quite fashionable.
Elected by PR (i.e. numbered preference) for a seven year term. Immunity from prosecution for their time in office, unless voted on by Parliament, and removable by a super-majority of Parliament (or if convicted of a serious offense). Seven year term.
A fixed, but generous, salary, official residence(s) and transport while in office, plus pension and post-presidency security paid for by the state.
A ban on holding paid office afterwards, for the length of their service. Completely transparency of land, stock and investment holdings in a public register.
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Ok, but what power would they have?
 
The Don said:
If the referendum isn't clear on what should replace the monarchy then I'm not in favour of it. We would run the risk of voting to abolish the monarchy and then spend years failing to agree what, if anything, should replace it.

If the alternative to the monarchy is clearly stated in the referendum then I would be in favour of it.
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Why would we need to replace it? It doesn't do anything even close to essential afaics.
 
GlennB said:
Why would we need to replace it? It doesn't do anything even close to essential afaics.
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Quite: what exactly is the monarchy for? Except a constant reminder of how much power and wealth the aristocracy still have - even if you follow the "decline and fall" documented by someone like David Cannadine there is still a whole heap of land, power, money, influence and the rest in those hands.

And, why the need for any head of state?
 
I am all for the monarchy. Rather have a nice but dim monarch in place than some autocrat like Putin or some communist people's republic. Keeps out the fascists, too, as technically the Queen 'appoints' the Prime Minister once elected. Sure the 'men in grey' see to all this, but technically she could stop an incoming totalitarian regime in its tracks.
 
Vixen said:
I am all for the monarchy. Rather have a nice but dim monarch in place than some autocrat like Putin or some communist people's republic. Keeps out the fascists, too, as technically the Queen 'appoints' the Prime Minister once elected. Sure the 'men in grey' see to all this, but technically she could stop an incoming totalitarian regime in its tracks.
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No she couldn’t - she would simply be ignored.
 
Vixen said:
I am all for the monarchy. Rather have a nice but dim monarch in place than some autocrat like Putin or some communist people's republic.
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This presumes that somebody needs to be at least the nominal head of state. Why?

Vixen said:
Keeps out the fascists, too, as technically the Queen 'appoints' the Prime Minister once elected. Sure the 'men in grey' see to all this, but technically she could stop an incoming totalitarian regime in its tracks.
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No, she couldn't. She has no say in the matter whatsoever. It's a meaningless ritual.
 
Darat said:
No she couldn’t - she would simply be ignored.
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Utter nonsense. The Generals, Admirals, Wing Commanders of the Armed Forces have all pledged allegiance to the Crown. Should there be some kind of peasants' uprising or a Dominic Cummings' far right attempt at a coup d'état, whose side do you think the armed forces will be on. They are unelected and there is nothing you can do about it, other than pass a Bill through Parliament to abolish the monarchy, which I doubt the Queen's lawyers will advise her to sign off.
 
If a party whose manifesto included becoming a republic was ever elected it would make for an interesting Queen's Speech. "I look forward to the implementation of my government's plans to abolish the monarchy".
 
Vixen said:
Utter nonsense. The Generals, Admirals, Wing Commanders of the Armed Forces have all pledged allegiance to the Crown. Should there be some kind of peasants' uprising or a Dominic Cummings' far right attempt at a coup d'état, whose side do you think the armed forces will be on. They are unelected and there is nothing you can do about it, other than pass a Bill through Parliament to abolish the monarchy, which I doubt the Queen's lawyers will advise her to sign off.
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Why would the Queen have to sign anything off?
Parliament outranks her.
If she ever refused to give 'Royal Assent' to any Bill she would be gone in the blink of an eye.
Do you think the army would attack parliament if the Queen ordered it?
 
Captain_Swoop said:
Why would the Queen have to sign anything off?
Parliament outranks her.
If she ever refused to give 'Royal Assent' to any Bill she would be gone in the blink of an eye.
Do you think the army would attack parliament if the Queen ordered it?
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You are naive if you believe all 'Boris' has to do is present a Bill with his 80-seat majority and voila, he is now General Johnson military dictator of the UK.
 
If parliament presented a bill and the queen refused to sign what then?
Do you think it would just not be implemented?
 
Darat said:
What would the question be?
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"Do we keep the Monarchy, or scrap the Monarchy ?"

If we scrap the monarchy, they lose taxpayer funding and legal status.

You could have a follow on referendum:
Should the PM become head of state, or the speaker of the house (of Commons) ?
 
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