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Fuck the monarchy.
Couldn't care less tbh.
I’m enjoying my long weekend courtesy of them but they can fuck off once Liz pops it.
I like them. They're good at opening things and making people feel good. The nonces and so on can go in the bin, obviously.
The alternative is having Tony Blair run for President against, I dunno, Nigel Farage.
Yeah, no real time for the monarchy, but even less enthused by the idea of an elected head of state. Do you actually need a head of state? Turtle has my vote.
All of the Royal Palaces and art collections etc should be made open to the public.
Yeah, that'd be nice and there'd be no shortage of tourists to make that worthwhile.
Monarchy is for cunts, by cunts.
How it’s still alive and well in this day and age I’ll never know.
It isn't alive and well. They don't have any real power and don't do anything apart from shake hands with plebs at various community events.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pen
Do I want a Royal Family? No. Do I care enough to do anything about it? Also no.
One day I hope to be doing so badly I have multiple palaces and a giant wedge from the public purse every year plus a load of public holidays dedicated to my adulation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Also, if we got rid of the monarchy, we'd have to change the name of the country, as it would no longer be a United Kingdom. United Republic? Sounds like some short-lived nightmare. I wouldn't want to live in the UR.
The point is, they're not actually running the country. We are a democracy. All this bunting bollocks is just play acting. The cost in tax irks a bit, but it's the tip of the wasted tax revenue iceberg. And we didn't get an extra bank holiday out of Track and Trace, HS2 or the National Identity Cards.Quote:
Originally Posted by Disco
As awful as they are the alternative is exponentially more boring and shitty.
It's relative, no they aren't bowling around like Edward Longshanks running the place however they like but they can keep an obvious criminal nonce out of prison indefinitely and get a free ride in the lap of luxury in times when their entire existence is a complete anachronism. They're doing a lot better than almost every other monarchy you could care to mention.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Keep them around but pay them minimum wage and make the princes clean their own rooms.
Fair, but keeping criminals out of prison is a luxury of the rich generally. Especially if you work for the BBC or are a politician.Quote:
Originally Posted by Disco
England and friends has a nice ring to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
You already went some of the stuff with Disco. I know they are not in ’real power’, but I find their mere existence offensive. How can anyone be alright with some people being born to power and basically just keep such an unjust thing alive without batting an eyelid.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
I am not talking solely about the UK btw. My qualms are similar with all monarchies.
We're just not an egalitarian society, and most people are OK with that (even many of the people who claim we should be).Quote:
Originally Posted by Pen
What power? It's privilege, not power.
I'm all for becoming more egalitarian, I'd just rather we started with our politicians. The House of Lords in particular can fuck off immediately.
The Queen and Charles have often interfered in law and regulation. It's a myth that they have no say.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shindig
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...private-wealth
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...queens-consent
Yes. This too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
I wholeheartedly agree but the Lords have actually saved us from a few Tory amendments that were passed through the Commons. Which says more about Tories than anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
They also saved us from the 90 days without charge thing introduced by Labour, although I know civil liberties have weirdly pivoted from being a left wing to a right wing favourite since then.
We're too cringe a country to sensibly elect a figurehead like Germany or whoever, so we would have to go down the American/French route, and that would just send everybody mental. We're better off with the tried and tested (but the House of Lords needs binning).
Trooping the Colour + protestors = trampled protestors. :D
I liked The Crown, but I’m still glad Germany are our boss now instead.
What's the difference? Genuine question.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
The President of Germany is just some no mark chosen by the politicians to do what a monarch does but without anyone noticing them. Germany is probably the wrong comparison, because MPs would just choose some absolute arse like Theresa May or Hillary Benn (Grown Ups) to do it. Ireland might be a better comparison, where the public elect them to do basically that same job, so we would end up with that sausage roll idiot.
We have one of those presidents that have no power and do nothing but we pointlessly have to vote for them.
Wrong, they shake hands with rugby players and look delighted about it. Cracking theme tune as well.
Beacon LIT. Buglers SENT EVERY DOG MENTAL. Church bells RANG. :cool:
Brexit Britain BOOMING
She's a pretty remarkable woman so fairplay. Damn sad seeing how hard Philip's death has hit her, has been waiting for peace since.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61676668
The Queen will not attend Friday's Jubilee service at St Paul's Cathedral after experiencing discomfort while watching Thursday's parade at Buckingham Palace.
The decision was made with "great reluctance" after considering the "journey and activity required", the palace said.
However, she did take part in a beacon lighting ceremony on Thursday evening.
She's not making it to 2023.
She's old. It's impressive how mobile she is all things considered. My wife's nan was born the same year as her and barely left the house from about the age of 80. She still clocked another 14 years even after being housebound.
And Philip hung on for like an extra decade.
She seems in decent health otherwise. Could well make the ton.
It's said that she has some weird thing about not being seen in/working from a wheelchair from the time when Princess Margaret turned up somewhere in one and the German in her was disgusted. If it is simply that then she could go on a while yet with her feet up and the underlings on call.
This concert is quite good. It sounded pretty honking on paper.
If the royal kids aren't even bothered when the Lion King comes on they should really let them go to bed.
I was wondering why it was so quiet here the last couple of days. Completely forgot about the tiny flags.
Sam Ryder really was robbed.
Rod Stewart sounds terrible.
His voice has long deserted him, wow.
Sam Ryder is a robotic piece of shit. Nobody who says "wicked" as often as he does should be rewarded. His so-happy-to-be-here act will die out soon and the next time we hear of him will be reports he's checked into rehab for depression, drinking or both.
Hats off to Rod Stewart, rather than butcher one of his own hits he went with a song where he just has to hold the mic out instead and do fuck all.
Bocelli doesn't half get about.
He probably doesn't have much say in it.
Impressed how Bocelli always knows just how much of a step back he needs to avoid nutting the mic when he bows.
Well, I'm suspicious.
He's been the unexpected star of the show. The tantrum at the loud planes, the mocking of the shite music. He has all the potential in the world to go full Joffrey. Go on lad.
They could have done with a better closer, but otherwise that was good.
Found myself at this affair tonight. Left during Sweet Caroline but is that the best of British pop they could assemble? Fucking hell.
One more for the Rwanda flight.
At least I was out there in the thick of it amongst the sea of gammons like a stray halal chicken sausage in a full english.
Better not tell command you had such an opportunity.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
:lol:
Can we not just make him our Eurovision entry in perpetuity?Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Toon
I think we proved a point this year that we can win if we want to, so I'd like to see us go full Brit for next year with Fat Les or something.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
I’m currently working a shift in a pub where there have 3 flags of the queen up and Fields of Athen Rye is playing on the jukebox.
This parade is batshit. As ever, though, genius PR from the firm sticking the young princes out front to get in a load of reaction gifs.
Topped off with a freshly-executed bear put in a blue coat and dragged behind an old police Range Rover.
The new Albanese Labor government here in Australia has appointed the first-ever Assistant Minister for the Republic. It's early days in any possible move to Australia becoming a republic with the general consensus being that it won't move forward unless Labor gets a second term in three years time, but at least it's a first step on the road.
What would actually change? What does the Queen do over there?
It’s about time. You did a Scotland on the last attempt.
Tbh, nothing much would change in day-to-day life, we'd just exchange the Queen (and her official representative, the Governor-General) for an Australian-elected President, but we'd be a republic instead of member of the Commonwealth. I don't think we gain anything from having the Queen as our monarch and it's really just a case of "that's how it's always been" since we were founded as a British colony in 1788, followed by federation in 1901 and then becoming a member of the Commonwealth in 1926.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
For me personally, I'd just like to be able to say Australia completely controls it's own destiny as a republic and doesn't need to have this outdated figurehead maintaining its ceremonial control over my country.
Fair enough. I was just wondering what they did as they barely do anything here - aside from hand shaking and nonce enabling.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spav
Do you pay tax towards them?
As you state, that's literally all they do. No Australian taxes go towards the royal family or even Britain in general.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
We should dissolve the Commonwealth anyway because it's stupid, but if countries are breaking away from the monarchy then we need to do it ahead of time so it looks like it was our decision.
That's just petty. Although I do like the idea of the Queen doing a tour of Canada and ending, "Fucking keep it, mate."
Most of the 54 countries in the Commonwealth are already republics, so Australia can stay in the Commonwealth for whatever perceived benefits that may bring. I just want us to be a republic while we're doing it.
I think this is where I was getting confused. I don't generally pay the blindest bit of attention to this stuff so I wasn't aware there was a difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spav
It does also mean that I'm now not too sure I know what the Commonwealth is. Is it just "the countries that were in the empire regardless of current status"?
Not all, we left in 1949. Not sure if there were others but wasn't one of the carribean islands looking to do the same recently?Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Edit - us and Zimbabwe apparently, though the latter have tried get back in.
Surprised it's not more than that really.
"Oh hi! My ancestors stole your country for a bit, took all your resources, crushed a few rebellions and installed new borders that are still causing problems for you today. We did give you Cricket though. Would you like to be in our "Super Friendly Mates Club"?".
Surprised it wasn't more either, but as Spav was saying it probably costs nothing. I would have guess India too though.
We were a 'dominion' until then. Not sure if that's just what you call a commonwealth member or if that's something deeper in than what the likes of Canada and Barbados are these days.
No idea, all this stuff is just unnecessarily complicated.
I sort of understand countries like Australia being in the Commonwealth. They basically are British people (Aboriginals aside), it's the likes of India and the Caribbean I don't understand.
I would take the Commonwealth more seriously if homosexuality were not illegal in 24 of its 54 member states.