Time for a republic
Anyone else feel up to coming out as a blue republican? I don't doubt that Elizabeth Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Battenberg has discharged her duties to the best of her ability, but I regard gaining the role of head of state solely through the accident of birth as wholly wrong. My preferred back of an envelope solution for a constitutional settlement starts with the Speaker of the Commons acting as ceremonial head of state, giver of the 'royal' assent etc etc. My caveat would be that any speaker would have to have 2/3 support of the Commons, and never to have held cabinet or shadow cabinet rank, with this having the aim of avoiding blatant shoehorning in of apparatchiks. I will admit that Martin is one of the poorer speakers of recent memory, but Boothroyd (despite her bumptiousness), Weatherill, Thomas and Lloyd could all have carried out the ceremonial role to good effect.
I have promoted the idea of a Republic on those lines to friends (mainly lefties) in the past, and have had it suggested that an elected president would be preferable. The argument that has been voiced was one of the primacy of the democratic process, but I remain unconvinced as I think that a popularly elected president - even one without executive powers - would necessarily be a political hack or else a shameless populist. If the Speaker idea was applied, substantial short-term constitutional change could be kicked into the long grass, and issues of what goes on the currency, postage stamps, what we prefix ships in the navy etc could be sorted out in the fullness of time.
Meanwhile, whatever became of Stephen Haseler? Having read some of his stuff and heard him speak, I know he is a republican and, for want of a better word, sound.
I have promoted the idea of a Republic on those lines to friends (mainly lefties) in the past, and have had it suggested that an elected president would be preferable. The argument that has been voiced was one of the primacy of the democratic process, but I remain unconvinced as I think that a popularly elected president - even one without executive powers - would necessarily be a political hack or else a shameless populist. If the Speaker idea was applied, substantial short-term constitutional change could be kicked into the long grass, and issues of what goes on the currency, postage stamps, what we prefix ships in the navy etc could be sorted out in the fullness of time.
Meanwhile, whatever became of Stephen Haseler? Having read some of his stuff and heard him speak, I know he is a republican and, for want of a better word, sound.
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on Saturday, April 22, 2006 at 10:01 pm.
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Definately give most of the powers of appointment, etc to the Speaker.
However, keep the ceremonial monarch, changing it too much hassle, just not worth the effort and controversy. Fix the systemic problems and let the family keep the pointless title.
Thanks for that, I'll have a sniff around at some point.
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