tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post1855298580708972041..comments2023-10-27T07:50:27.411+01:00Comments on Next Left: A wedding present for William and KateTom Hampsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05917325958130851128noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-5414854317661852032010-11-17T15:57:17.776+00:002010-11-17T15:57:17.776+00:00I don't understand why Conservatives are Monar...I don't understand why Conservatives are Monarchists either. How can anyone possibly argue against a meritocracy is beyond me. Neo-liberal thought is about tearing down barriers to entry (self made man, pull yourself up by your boot straps, American dream etc) yet they continue to promote privilege. (I love the lottery idea by the way.)<br />The only pro-monarchist argument I'm aware of is the economic one (money in tourism) implicit in this (that is if you accept the basic premise Americans would suddenly stop flocking to the Buckingham Palace because the Queen is no longer their- not been a problem for Paris) is the “trickle-down effect”. Check the latest ONS/HMRC figures on wealth distribution, they blow that theory out of the water as 53% of the entire wealth of this country is owned by 20% of the population, while the top 1% own, while the top 1% own 21% of the UK's wealth. Here's the link http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=2Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10141008397783604478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-67167232461933042342010-11-17T12:32:04.828+00:002010-11-17T12:32:04.828+00:00Rats. There was I thinking that a good wedding pr...Rats. There was I thinking that a good wedding present would be for ex Prinz Wilhelm to be a private citizen earning his own living and supporting his wife on his own abilities.Richard Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17225331967587897653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-15783666971402151982010-11-17T11:24:05.775+00:002010-11-17T11:24:05.775+00:00I agree that the sex discrimination should be remo...I agree that the sex discrimination should be removed from the royal succession, before there comes a chance it could actually affect someone. <br /><br />To the above, I am a staunch Monarchist. Far better a royal family and monarchy entwined with our national history and culture and architecture than some anodyne president, another greasy pole for failed ex-politicians to climb.Stephen Wigmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15604582974059809054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-24134023643963622892010-11-17T08:00:04.821+00:002010-11-17T08:00:04.821+00:00I agree with Gerry. If we have to have a monarch, ...I agree with Gerry. If we have to have a monarch, he/she should be chosen at random - by a lottery of UK citizens. And for a fixed term - say 5 or 10 years. <br /><br />Who on earth on the Left cares about changing the rules of succession? It's just changing one completely arbitrary mechanism for maintaining birthright priviledges for another. <br /><br />There really is much more important stuff for the Fabian Society to get worked up about than this.T.N.T.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13994761000416067940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-63395879934564713302010-11-16T23:51:24.858+00:002010-11-16T23:51:24.858+00:00Surely modern Britain should be a republican state...Surely modern Britain should be a republican state. I'm not interested in "equal rights for Royal Princesses" I'm interested in equal opportunity for all. I'm pretty sure the founders of the Fabian Society would agree.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10141008397783604478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-23060157704511701782010-11-16T23:47:43.762+00:002010-11-16T23:47:43.762+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10141008397783604478noreply@blogger.com