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Republicanism is a traitor’s game
I listen to all these republicans…
If it was down to me I’d hang ’em! I honestly would. It’s a traitor’s game for me.”
SO SPEAKETH Sir Ian Botham, on this occasion to the Guardian, the newspaper of the British ruling class. It’s always reassuring when a public figure speaks out in support of the few remnants of tradition the metropolitan elites allow us to retain, so Sir Ian deserves a firm handshake, a pat on the back, and a pint on the house. Still, there are others (poor souls!) who disagree with the goodly knight. Herein the British Republican movement lists its supporters. They are mostly relative unknowns, except for the former Viscount Stansgate and the rather vulgar Peter Tatchell.
Leanne Wood, a member of the Welsh Assembly, states “I am a republican because I am opposed to the hereditary system”. Opposed to the hereditary system? We presume, therefore, that when she reaches the evening of her years (after a long life sucking off the taxpayer teat) she will not leave her comfortable residence and all her earthly possessions to her offspring, but instead donate them to the Fabian Society. Pity her poor children!
“I believe,” Ms. Wood continues, “in equality not patronage”. To my mind, party politics is more often a source of patronage than the limited constitutional monarchy. As for equality, doesn’t being a member of the Welsh Assembly give her more power and influence than others? Not very egalitarian, but then there are no true egalitarians. Only some who, rather than appreciating the heights of Western civilization, prefer to topple it to the ground in order to establish greater “equality”.
The former Viscount Stansgate, who currently styles himself “Tony” Benn, proclaims that “In a democracy people must be able to elect their own head of state”. The demos beg to differ. The Crown has consulted the people in forty-four different general elections since the enactment of the Reform Act of 1832, and yet the voters have curiously neglected to ever vote a republican party into government.
Mr. Tatchell, meanwhile — whom the Republican movement identifies as a “gay rights and human rights campaigner” (I am glad they concede the dissimilarity in the two concepts) — tells us that “Britain remains a partial, incomplete democracy, steeped in aristocratic privilege.” Hear! Hear! “Why can’t we have a complete, mature democracy,” Mr. Tatchell asks, “where the people elect our Head of State?” Perhaps because democracies which elect their head of state are rarely mature. It seems entirely more mature to keep those institutions which have stood the test of time rather than to arbitrarily destroy them based on what amounts to little more than modish management concepts.
Curiously, at least three people on the Republican movement’s list of supporters are Queen’s Counsel (QCs, or “silks”). They are not so opposed to the monarchy as to refuse the fruits of its munificence, and for that we should praise their pragmatism. Even more curiously, however, nineteen on the list are Members of Parliament. Surely MPs are required to take an Oath of Loyalty to the Crown in order to take their seats? But then perhaps these nineteen are abstentionists along the lines of the Sinn Féiners. While one hesitates to presume to advise the Crown, it might be useful every so often to inquire among the members of Parliament as to which would lend their votes to the abolition of the monarchy, and then deal with them in the manner Sir Ian Botham profers.
“If it was down to me I’d hang ’em!”
Category: Monarchy | Hat tip: The Monarchist.
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Hear, hear!
Although I personaly would not hang them, I believe in freedom of speech, something this Kingdom has protected for many a year. I just thing those who swear an oath to Her Majesty and then break it should be prosecuted for breach of contract, because lets fase it they have lied in public! They should also be ejected from the House of Commons.
QCs should face similar punishment, strip them of their title Queen’s Council and let them be common barristers at law, I immagine they would quickly shut up as that would mean they would lose tens of thousands of pounds every year!
Republican’s are driven by the same philosophy that motivated Whigs – they suffer from the sins of envy, ambition, malice and spitefulness.
These QC’s and MP’s who oppose the monarchy are crafty, manipulative and hypocritical. Their minds are a Tabula Rasa.
Deference and respect for authority are vital to the health of the Monarchy and the Commonwealth.
“the Guardian, the newspaper of the British ruling class”
That is one of the most depressing, and true, statements I’ve read in a long time.
I don’t quite agree with pasting a link to that dreadful republic group’s web site. The extra traffic you might generate for them might give them them impression they’re more popular than they really are!
a comforting bit of sense coming from England in a long while..Sir Ian deserves a firm handshake, a pat on the back, and a pint on the house…I’ll buy the next round for the good Sir.
Sir Ian Botham is the kind of Englishman that makes this country so amazing. I couldn’t agree with him more.
Traitor’s were burnt at the stake in past centuries.
A punishment fit for any Traitor…past or present!!
How clever, how Swiftian to proclaim a monarchical stance by setting up as a hero a cigarillo smoking (not even a real cigarette) effete (judging by the beard, an Errol Flynn wannabee) just off his game of cricket lounging in the locker room not even a wisp of dirt on his lily white uniform, though to be fair he may just be entering the fray. But have you? Entered the fray that is? Perhaps old style American democracy (if the Laird of Scarsdale will admit it) is just again raising its mocking head with a sardonic nod to the romanticism of an hereditary government.
I have never met a Republican who is pleasant company, or indeed not a scoundrel.
An excellent post, and this gentleman does indeed deserve his pint. Quite incomprehensible to me that one could remain a QC and with a straight face and clear conscience allow his name to be used by supporters of republicanism.
A great Welsh band (Manic Street Preachers) once sang “Repeat after me f**k queen and country” – they should be given the freedom of Wales.
sir ian botham is spot on republicans are traitors.
myself and many others will do anything required to banish republicanism in great britain. god save the queen. and sir ian.
What a repellent lot those Republicans are. Anyone notice that your only option on their site was to join them, no chance to leave them a pithy comment!
Its always amusing to read politicians demanding an elected Head of State. Of course what they are hoping is that they will get elected. While we have a Monarchy, these cheap third raters will never stand a chance of fulfilling their life-long ambition of becoming our Leader.