Happy Monday!
Despite the passing of Elizabeth II and a new King. I’m still a republican. Last week, watching President Macron, just be classy and comparing that with the way Charles behaved while signing whatever it was he had to sign on Saturday morning, was just embarrassing. I have French friends, I know that Macron isn’t all roses and sunshine, the point is that the French people got to pick, the British people don’t. I wrote about this in 2009 and my opinion has not changed.
I’m sad for anyone who has lost a family member and that includes the Royal Family. I’m sure that personally she was a nice woman but it’s not disrespectful to talk about an end to the monarchy because she’s died. If not now, then when? I believe that as a nation we should reform our constitution, including the role of Head of State. What qualifications does Charles Windsor have for this role? He’s the same age as my mum, and frankly she’s had lots of jobs, raised two children, gives to charity in time and money and understands the Constitution, I think she’s achieved a lot more with far fewer resources and can put her own toothpaste on her toothbrush.Should she be Head of State? If the position is purely ceremonial, why should he get the job? Why not pick the Head of State like we select for jury service, I bet it would cost less.
This probably belongs in Friday Links but I’m going to refer back to Tony Benn (the man that gave up his title to be an MP) and his five questions essential to a democracy
A transfer of power has happened in the UK this week and we are not asking these questions and I’m feeling pretty salty about it.
Aside from the state of the nation, the rest of the week was busy for work and allotment but quiet for everything else, I did three days in the office and by Friday I was absolutely fried. Now we’re out of August, I need to make more of an effort to be in the office, so I really need to get my weekend prep mojo back. I didn’t do so well this weekend, I had plans but I got distracted by some books. Which is absolutely going to be my epitaph.
This week was also the smallest nephew’s birthday, my favourite quote of the week goes to him arguing with his brother and telling said elder brother that he didn’t have to listen to him “because he was seven now”.
Plans for this week are the same as ever, I’m in the office Tuesday and Wednesday, but off work on Friday, this is to have an extra day on the plot because there is a lot of work to be done to get it winter fit. On Saturday, I’m going to a 50th birthday party and it’s back to the grindstone.
Have a good week!
Nic Dempsey 
I saw Tony Benn once, very good speaker. He’s not right on that point as constitutionally we can get rid of the monarchy if there is considered to be sufficient appetite in the country to have a referendum on it but with only about 15% to 30% of the country in favour of a republic according to independent polls there seems very little point on spending the money and the time effort and internal bickering it would cause. The very thought of Brexit mark 2 makes my skin crawl! However if you feel very strongly about it then you can raise a question to the House of Commons and if you get 250k signatures they have to discuss it so why not have a go.
There isn’t a formal mechanism for removing the Head of State and we don’t decide who it should be. You can raise a question in the HofC but the government doesn’t have to do anything about it. The fact that people who are protesting it are being arrested is worrying and argues that we don’t have the freedom to protest. I don’t enjoy general elections or referendums either but I still think we should have them.