Friday 1 June 2012

Escape!


Being a staunch republican (much to the annoyance of Nick Drew and Bill Quango), the only rational response for me this weekend is to leave the Country. That is exactly what I am doing.

I will leave all my fellow UK subjects to worship their false prophet on the River as much as they like. I am sure it will all be jolly good fun.

Fear not, blagging will return next week as the Eurozone melts down even faster and somehow I can't see the Jubilee really stopping the momentum gathering. I am going to Spain too so it will be an interesting place to be next week!

14 comments:

Electro-Kevin said...

False prophet. Hmmm.

Once Queenie has departed this mortal coil I wonder what will come of our 'safe haven' status on the global stage.

It may seem far fetched to say it, but I feel she is far more than a tourist attraction.

She helps very much to create the veneer which is keeping this country afloat at the moment.

GOD Save The Queen
(and GOD Save Us)

Anonymous said...

Can someone answer me this?

The monarchy - as an institution - is an integral part of the UK's political system. But irrespective of the concept of royal succession, kings and queens have come from different families depending on the mood at the time.

Is it not time in this age of austerity to put the institution that is the monarchy, out to private bids to ensure best-value.

We could have a more entrepreneurial family like the Gates; better entertainers like Kasabian; or a combination of a more ethnically appealing family plus cash like the Hinduja's. Certainly Mandelson would vote for them.

Think of it. We could have a Royal Family that was not only self-financing but would also pay us to have a party.

Roundheads - not us.

Budgie said...

CU and Anon5:15pm, there are all sorts of interesting possibilities for president of the British Republic.

But what you'd actually get is ...... BLIAR.

Bill Quango MP said...

But what you'd actually get is ...... BLIAR.

Deep shudder

Bill Quango MP said...

Just a historical point.

the civil war in Britain was a very bloody and destructive war that swept aside centuries of rights and traditions.

The king lost his head in 1649 and parliament was supreme.

Cromwell defeated Charles II {Charles 1 son and heir} at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 and Cromwell ruled until his death in 1658.

At that point Charles II became king.

{So...what was the point of all that war and death and destruction and roundhead/cavalier Monarchy/parliament stuff?}

asquith said...

Which part of Spain? I've got no further than Barcelona, I'd like to see more of the country but I don't go abroad most years.

And here's a nice poem for all to read:
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/1887/

Not big into monarchy myself but I did plant a tree, as part of a scheme operated by the Woodland Trust to get more woods planted. (there are 2 in Stoke, one only a stone's throw from where I grew up). Something useful might as well come out of the occasion, I reasoned.

Bill Quango- wasn't the point of the regicide that the person of the monarch is not above the law, and must abide by the constitution? It was this principle that the Whigs operated on during the Restoration period, and which led to the Glorious Revolution and the birth of modern Britain, and the modern world.

So it wasn't in vain that the Roundheads rose up.

(studied the legacy of the Civil War for my dissertation- but didn't actually fare enormously well academically- make of all this what you will)

asquith said...

Charles II and James II were always haunted by these memories. Things eventually settled down after 1688-9, once the Jacobite threat had been seen off, because the soundness of the system was accepted, and contained within itself the seeds of reform and advancement into the modern age, which is why it never snapped as did the French or Russian systems (etc. etc).

Anonymous said...

You could make that point about a lot of things.
Why fight WW1 and then support defence weakening agreements that help to create the conditions for WW2.
Why fight tooth and nail to win WW2 and then throw our sovereignty in with the very people we were fighting (not just the Nazis/Germans)?

And tbh, Irish terrorism today, to me seems far worse given the fact that they don't even want their sovereignty anyway, so whats the point, do they seriously think they are going to be better respected by the Franco-German 'union'/or whatever it turns into?

Why spend most of the history of this country defending our borders, if we are now going to thrown the doors open to 500,000+ per year.
A figure that would have represented a 10th of our total population about 300 years ago.

I used to support the idea of Monarchy as a symbol of our roots and continuity as a nation.
But really at the moment they are not serving that function.

Nick Drew said...

... I wonder what will come of our 'safe haven' status on the global stage

thought-provoking, EK

in her quiet but determined way she certainly seems to make an impact with US presidents, the Irish, etc etc

seems unlikely this is just a function of having good advisers(!)

Anonymous said...

CU - Spain is a monarchy too.

Be interested to hear your impressions. Last summer the cafes and bars of Asturias still seemed pretty busy to me, although there were half-built and suspended house builds all over the place.

Laban

invest in bamboo said...

Look at it from a bottom line capitalist perspective. Whilst the upkeep of the Royal Family certainly takes some Pounds out of the cookie jar, from the larger perspective, the sheer amount of money the Royals are responsible for (indirectly of course) into the economy makes this a net positive. If I had a Pound for every Yank or Asian wandering around Buckingham taking pictures, and buying stuff at local stores, staying in local hotels etc. etc., I'd retire a rich man.

Anonymous said...

As soon as they vote for independence, the Scots will want to be a republic. Or possibly have their own Monarch from the Stuart dynasty

Bill Quango MP said...

invest in bamboo?

Invest in bamboo..I mean your web page,really?

I think you're right on the financials.
Isn't it something like 57p per person to fund all the royals each year.
Not very much. Less than foreign aid per person.

That cash all goes to the royals though. Just a few individuals and their associated staff.

To compare with another cherished institution, the BBC, they employ thousands and provide direct entertainment and information to all.
But at a cost of £145 a household.
Some 65 times more each.

Graeme said...

I'm heading to Spain next week so would be interested in which currency you used. I suspect that locals might be more interested in sterling or dollars rather than Euros. Any update would be appreciated before I change any currency!