A Political Thread pt. 2

[Gavin]

Reaction as Tory MPs call for new £190m Royal Yacht in honour of Prince Philip

"No money for the poor, no money for the disabled, but apparently there's money for a new Royal Yacht".

www.thelondoneconomic.com

Suggestions that a new £190 million Royal Yacht should be built in Prince Philip's honour have been met with disbelief on Twitter today.

Several Tory MPs have backed plans for the tribute, which call on Boris Johnson to sanction a successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[ncurd]

TBF they've been "called" back early so they haven't suspended normal business for it.

I'm just dreading when the Queen goes now and I've tried to essentially live a bunker from it all weekend.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

BBC flooded with complaints over coverage of Prince Philip’s death

Corporation opened dedicated complaints form on its website to deal with high volume of comments

www.theguardian.com

I'm neither here nor there on Philip but the ceaseless fawning coverage and the way they could give airtime to someone like Prince Andrew and pretend he is a perfectly normal human being is really getting on my nerves now. I don't give a **** and I don't want all the coverage being swamped with him. NEWS! Old man dies! Put the funeral on TV but I don't need to hear a bunch of people who had next to no contact with the guy talking about how he was the best thing since sliced bread.

Also:

Greensill: Government to investigate Cameron's lobbying

The former PM is at the centre of a row over his efforts to influence ministers for a finance firm.

www.bbc.co.uk

Most corrupt Tory government in recent history investigating Tory talking to Tory about improper conduct. Slap on the wrist at most expected and back to doing exactly the same ever so slightly more discreetly.

 

[Welsh Exile]

It was always going to be like this. Generally, in England, the royal family are very popular. Only a small minority are opposed to them so there was always going to be a massive media love in when the queens husband dies. It's going to be horrendous when Queenie dies. Crying crowds swarming the palace on mass, relentless media coverage for weeks on end. Can't wait.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I don't have a problem with a new Royal Yacht. Britannia and the Royals definitely played a part in helping secure trade deals etc.

But not now. Not while the economy is tanked and so many people are struggling with the fallout from COVID.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Diana's death in 1997? Doubt much will surpass that level of mourning/mawkish outpouring of grief for a woman who could probably have survived had she worn her seatbelt but it got lost in the drunk driver, paparazzi and conspiracy nonsense.

When the Queen goes it will mark an end of an era though - 69 years so far . But yes, media blanketing will be like a month of coverage.

 

[ncurd]

It was always going to be like this. Generally, in England, the royal family are very popular. Only a small minority are opposed to them so there was always going to be a massive media love in when the queens husband dies. It's going to be horrendous when Queenie dies. Crying crowds swarming the palace on mass, relentless media coverage for weeks on end. Can't wait.

A decade ago this was true but its sharply fallen in recent years. Possibly coincides with peoples idea of national identity post-2016. There still isn't a majority for republicanism or even close but blanket coverage like what happened this weekend (and will happen next) won't help much.

Republicanism in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I think the whole "Oh the royals work so hard don't they?" Is such ********. Yes they go round giving talks, openings, attending diplomatic meetings etc but ultimately all they have to do is not **** it up (or not **** it up much) and it's an overwhelming success. Other people in the country work longer, aren't driven everywhere, have real consequences if things go wrong and at the end of it can have other worries like paying the rent, bills other expenses etc to worry about. I don't have a problem with the royals as such but I do have a problem with those who make out they have some hard life and make great sacrifices, **** off do they. They have busy lives but really the only worries they have are not saying stupid **** or dressing up as a nazi, and even that is too hard for some of them to manage. Most people in the world can manage the whole "get through your life without being a complete ***".

 

[ncurd]

Most people in the world can manage the whole "get through your life without being a complete ***".

Point of order, I assume you mean without being a complete *** all the time. I know very few (if any ) people who can manage their entire lives without doing it a couple of times.

 

[ncurd]

Nation in mourning has definitely not been watching Netflix

THE whole of the UK has spent the weekend mourning, watching documentaries about the Duke of Edinburgh, and certainly not watching Netflix.

www.thedailymash.co.uk

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Absolutely, the monarchy gave up any political power to become a ceremonial monarchy to stay relevant. Being part of the "British identity" and how they have embedded the institution is fundamental to their survival.

Prince Phillip's biggest contribution to the monarchy was to "knock up" the Queen so the House of Windsor now has 3 generations to stay relevant within the British psyche.

What Britain would replace them with? A Republic similar to ROI with a President who is largely ceremonial but who guards over a written constitution would be something I would personally favour. At least their term would be finite and stop this idea of being born into privilege and service.

 

[Welsh Exile]

A decade ago this was true but its sharply fallen in recent years. Possibly coincides with peoples idea of national identity post-2016. There still isn't a majority for republicanism or even close but blanket coverage like what happened this weekend (and will happen next) won't help much.

Republicanism in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I hope you're right mate. I'm 37 next month and I doubt anything will change in my lifetime but one can dream.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I could see there being a big shift in those figures when Charles takes over the throne

 

[Welsh Exile]

I could see there being a big shift in those figures when Charles takes over the throne

Yeah that's a good point I didn't consider. Even then, though, enough of a shift that people will actively want an overhaul of our political system? I'm not so sure.

 

[ncurd]

I could see there being a big shift in those figures when Charles takes over the throne

Always why in recent years (basically since the wedding in 2011) talk is always about if it should skip a generation. I think that ship has partially sailed though due to the blowout with Harry and William and possibly no longer seen as youthful, modern and dynamic.

I think were a long way to go and I'm not a staunch Republican but far more of one than I once was and as our generations get older (Millenials/Gen Z, basically under 40's) I can only see it increasing.

 

[ncurd]

Yeah that's a good point I didn't consider. Even then, though, enough of a shift that people will actively want an overhaul of our political system? I'm not so sure.

What would need to overhauled except for Queen's Speech? Which will just be given by the PM similar to the US State of the Union.

Its all ceremonial from a political PoV, the real question is the impact on patronages, ceremonial duties and tourism.

The most likely thing that will ever happen is withdrawal of the civil list(actually was now called Sovreign Grant) in return for vastly decreased sovereign duties. Complete abolition is always incredibly unlikely as some people would acknowledge who should be King/Queen regardless.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah that's a good point I didn't consider. Even then, though, enough of a shift that people will actively want an overhaul of our political system? I'm not so sure.

Oh aye, I doubt anything will change in my lifetime - but I could see it becoming more and more of an issue as time goes on (/as the throne changes hands)

Lizzie is part of the furniture at this point with her 70(+) year reign, it'll be a big shift getting a new monarch in and seeing the opulence of a full coronation on display - and it'll likely happen twice in comparatively quick succession as Charles is already 72

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I think the whole "Oh the royals work so hard don't they?" Is such ********. Yes they go round giving talks, openings, attending diplomatic meetings etc but ultimately all they have to do is not **** it up (or not **** it up much) and it's an overwhelming success. Other people in the country work longer, aren't driven everywhere, have real consequences if things go wrong and at the end of it can have other worries like paying the rent, bills other expenses etc to worry about. I don't have a problem with the royals as such but I do have a problem with those who make out they have some hard life and make great sacrifices, **** off do they. They have busy lives but really the only worries they have are not saying stupid **** or dressing up as a nazi, and even that is too hard for some of them to manage. Most people in the world can manage the whole "get through your life without being a complete ***".

Agree with a lot of what you say and they definitely don't have the day to day worries of most of us.

But that's not to say they don't have stresses - they're not in control of their own lives which is a massive sacrifice that most people would hate. Some had no choice through birth, others have married into it. But they can't behave like us doing what we want when we want with very little consequence. Schedules programmed to the minute. Little privacy with staff and security always around. Cameras everywhere, always on display, always being judged by the media and keyboard warriors - what they say, what they do, what they look like, whether they've put on weight, what they wear, who they mix with etc. Every action magnified and picked over in the public eye.

For all the privilege and material benefits I wouldn't want to be a Royal in a million years.

 

[Welsh Exile]

What would need to overhauled except for Queen's Speech? Which will just be given by the PM similar to the US State of the Union.

Its all ceremonial from a political PoV, the real question is the impact on patronages, ceremonial duties and tourism.

The most likely thing that will ever happen is withdrawal of the civil list(actually was now called Sovreign Grant) in return for vastly decreased sovereign duties. Complete abolition is always incredibly unlikely as some people would acknowledge who should be King/Queen regardless.

Will probably have to look at a written constitution and a president with the House of Lords getting abolished I would've thought but F knows to be honest.

I've never really brought into the tourism argument to be honest. People will still come here if we got rid just as they do with France or any other country that isn't stuck in the 15th century.