Australia gives Knighthood to Prince Philip - er, ... A Prince Philip appreciation thread

[kentonio]

I'm one of those 3/4 who think the little parasite will accede to the throne. However....

1- That doesn't mean to say the role of the throne will be unchanged, and...

2- That's not a seal of approval. I'm pretty sure I'll get hemorrhoids one day, but I'm not putting up bunting in anticipation.

You seem to have conveniently ignored the latter part which showed 66% thinking we're better off as a monarchy and only 17% wanting a republic. I assume that you're fully in favour of keeping the monarchy now given democracy and all that right?

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I'd be perfectly happy to go with thse democratic votes- if they happen at least every five years and have other candidates standing.

How about you?

[kentonio]

I think you probably need to read up again on how monarchy works. Or when people democratically decide they want a constitutional monarchy, is that not democratic? So tricky..

[Alexander's Horse]

Nope. South-West. Cider, tractors and mining country.

Oh well - I thought the war of the roses was about to reignite.

Kentonio strikes me as a home counties gent, probably wrong there too.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I think you probably need to read up again on how monarchy works. Or when people democratically decide they want a constitutional monarchy, is that not democratic? So tricky..

If you genuinely believe the people want, and will continue to want, the Monarchy to remain in place, you have nothing to fear from democratic process. It would give a clear mandate, clear accountability, and would probably act as incentive to run the monarchy more efficiently- thus reducing the tax burden.

It's a win/win situation.

[Dauphin]

Oh well - I thought the war of the roses was about to reignite.

Kentonio strikes me as a home counties gent, probably wrong there too.

I think he's from flat cap coal miners country in the northern north.

[kentonio]

If you genuinely believe the people want, and will continue to want, the Monarchy to remain in place, you have nothing to fear from democratic process. It would give a clear mandate, clear accountability, and would probably act as incentive to run the monarchy more efficiently- thus reducing the tax burden.

It's a win/win situation.

Ah, so when people say they want the monarchy to continue as it is now, you have the right to tell them it has to be something different. Because your principles are more important than theirs, right?

[regexcellent]

Yeah for some reason I've always assumed Kentonio was from Newcastle or something but I have no idea if it's true.

[kentonio]

You assumed incorrectly, I just lived there for a while.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Alan Shearer

[kentonio]

[pchang]

Are you a Yorkshireman?

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Ah, so when people say they want the monarchy to continue as it is now, you have the right to tell them it has to be something different. Because your principles are more important than theirs, right?

My principles are letting the people decide in a democratic process. An opinion poll in a newspaper isn't democratic process.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

It's also worth considering that your opinion poll suggests only 42% consider the £36.10 million annual sovereign grant to be good value for money. Given a more detailed examination of royal funding, as we've had in this thread and would have in a real democratic debate, I suspect that number wouldn't be rising.

It's also worth considering that a majority in that poll don't want Prince Charles as the next monarch.

[kentonio]

It's also worth considering that your opinion poll suggests only 42% consider the £36.10 million annual sovereign grant to be good value for money. Given a more detailed examination of royal funding, as we've had in this thread and would have in a real democratic debate, I suspect that number wouldn't be rising.

It's also worth considering that a majority in that poll don't want Prince Charles as the next monarch.

What interesting to me about your reaction to the poll, is that trying to make constitutional changes at a time when the public appetite doesn't call for any such changes suggests an 'I know better than the proles' attitude. Not that I disapprove of that, I feel much the same way, but it's somewhat comic trying to reconcile that with a determination that people will get more democracy whether they like it or not.