I am no monarchist. I do not believe the Queen is infallible, omniscient or omnipotent. The royal family is far to big. We need a monarch, an heir and a spare. We do not need hordes of Dukes, Lords, Baronets etc. The deference they engender does huge damage to or country. There was a young scribbler called Lawson who wrote a very perceptive piece on company boards. Start with a 100, deduct 10 for every Sir and 20 for every Lord. When you get to zero don't touch the company with a barge pole.
The value of the Queen to the UK lies in her long term commitment and support of the Commonwealth. OK the Aussies may ditch her as their head of state but she is still very popular in Africa and the many islands. I was appalled when in 1972 Heath went on bended knee to the French, Germans and Italians to join the Common Market selling the New Zealand farmers and our own fishermen down the river, people who had fought two world wars for this country. Heath was a classic case of a general fighting the last war. Europe was even then on the slide the far East and Pacific Rim was the future. This is where the Queen's brand is strong.
Obama sees this. The whole emphasis of US policy and military might is now the Far East and Pacific Rim. That is where we should be. Look at what is going on in Brussels tonight. A motely collection of mid-europeans squabbling as they have since the fall of the Roman Empire. Why on earth do we want to be involved in thsi shambles? The EU claims to have abolished European wars. I am not so sure. What I do know is we should take evasive action now and not get involved.
So lets keep the monarchy but slim it down and lets get some more commonwealth people into Buck House and make it a real commonwealth.
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