Chairs of Estate

The monarchist and the republican cases are both rubbish, but the monarchy is what we have. Monarchists claim that the monarchy embodies things that they spend the rest of their time complaining are not there, backed up by fanciful suggestions about tourism and about soft power. Republicans claim that a republic would be a step towards the classless incorruption that characterised no existing republic in the world, backed up by a fatuous remark about hereditary surgeons, as if there would be elected surgeons. The case for the status quo is weak, but the case for change has not been made.

The last person to win a General Election was Boris Johnson, so republicans must want him as Head of State. There would have to be a nomination process. Candidates would certainly require nomination by one tenth of the House of Commons, 65 MPs, and very probably by one fifth of that House, 130 MPs. Even in the first instance, in the wildly unlikely event of more than two candidates, then the House would whittle them down to the two who would then be presented to the electorate. Almost certainly, only two parties are ever going to have 65 MPs. Certainly, only two are ever going to have 130. In practice, they would probably arrange to alternate the Presidency between them.

Nor should those of us who strived for economic equality and for international peace wish to abolish the Royal Prerogative. Rather, we should be working for someone of our mind to exercise it, and to do so in its fullness. No one like that would ever make it onto the ballot paper for President.