[Kate!]

Not sure if this topic has ever been debated, apologies if it has.

If not, let's discuss. Should Britain do away with the Royal Family (not in a murderous sense ) and have a President, rather than Prime Minister?

I can see that the Royals do bring an awful lot of revenue in with tourists etc, but they are also a huge drain with all the hangers on and the ridiculous lavish lifestyles for the flip side of the coin. I suppose I'd say on the whole, don't get rid of them altogether, but cut it right down, why should cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles, etc etc, get given money and homes for just being born into THAT family.

I admit right of the bat that I'm not highly informed in politics, so my views may be somewhat naive, but I'd be interested to read all your opinions on the subject?

[Shaun]

Yes. Inherited legislative power (however little), and its accompanying wealth, is ridiculous and draconic.

[Niall]

I can never make my mind up on this.

I mean the radical part of me wants to abolish it and introduce a republic because, its quite backward and elitist.

But then another part of me doesn't want to end 1000s of years of tradition and cut off the Royals as a tourist attraction.

[Kate!]

damm, meant to add a poll. Yay or Nay.

[Vicky.]

Public/private poll?

[Kate!]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Public/private poll?

I usually make my polls public, so public please Vicky.

cheers.

Voted yay in the poll, because I actually can't stand the majority of the royals tbh, Prince Phillip wants a good hard kick in the balls for a start, Charles and Camilla are bastards (poor Diana, how she suffered).

[MTVN]

Against it in principle, in practice I'm indifferent

[Niall]

Hmm on second thought I'd have to say I'd abolish it. I just started thinking about Prince Charles and the way that bastard meddles in governmental affairs (for the worse) really does make my blood boil, so. -votes yay-

[Kizzy]

get rid! And 99% of the house of lords too

[Marsh.]

If it means snatching Camilla (or the Wicked Witch as my nan calls her ) away from her pedestal then yes I'm all for it.

[Shaun]

The thing with the tourism argument is that:

a) the history would still be there. It's not like tourists around the world would go "Oh the Queen ain't there any more? Well idfc about Buckingham Palace then."
b) if the entirety of London was bombed by a nuclear warhead, in about 100 years once the fallout dissipated it'd become a tourist site. Tourism =/= moral soundness.

[Patrick]

Yes, completely and utterly.

The only reason it's kept is because England want it so it looks like they're 'proper' and stuff like that, when all it does is give off the stereotype that British people are dull and worship the Queen when infact, we act like Simon Cowell has more relevance than the Queen.

It means nothing, it's pointless, just get rid of it.

[thesheriff443]

leave it!

[Me. I Am Salman]

Oh snap I picked the wrong vote, I should have picked Nay, didn't read the question properly urgh.
Anyway no we should not abolish them because they are a national icon, they boost tourism and plus I like them

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Patrick

Yes, completely and utterly.

The only reason it's kept is because England want it so it looks like they're 'proper' and stuff like that, when all it does is give off the stereotype that British people are dull and worship the Queen when infact, we act like Simon Cowell has more relevance than the Queen.

On what planet do people think we all worship the Queen? Most people seem to know it's all bollocks and only kept for traditions sake.
In reality, the entire Royal Family don't hold very much power at all. Most of what they did have was taken away.

[joeysteele]

Nay for me, I have my disillusioned periods with the Monarchy but I still support it and doubt I would want to ever see the UK go to a Presidential system.

In fact,watching the State opening of Parliament today made me feel quite proud of our Country that we have such as this still going on.

Imagine having a President Blair, a President Thatcher or someone like them,no thank you, they can be Prime Ministers such people but I for one will always want to keep the Monarchy even with its faults,over a President any day.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Nay for me, I have my disillusioned periods with the Monarchy but I still support it and doubt I would want to ever see the UK go to a Presidential system.

In fact,watching the State opening of Parliament today made me feel quite proud of our Country that we have such as this still going on.

Imagine having a President Blair, a President Thatcher or someone like them,no thank you, they can be Prime Ministers such people but I for one will always want to keep the Monarchy even with its faults,over a President any day.

The queen makes no decisions... Do you think th PM has to run everything by her he does?.
I think all the pomp and ceremony is ridiculous. Herand her entourage are just a drain, we would have tourists without her.

[Saph]

No I like having the Royal family its the only thing Britain is known for..

We should be done with Priministers though, i'd rather have a President

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by kizzy

The queen makes no decisions... Do you think th PM has to run everything by her he does?.
I think all the pomp and ceremony is ridiculous. Herand her entourage are just a drain, we would have tourists without her.

TBH, most of the Royal Family's money and property were taken by the government a long time ago. They're very much a business now and are required to pay taxes. The money they give back to the state outweigh the money they take from it. And I'm pretty sure the American taxpayers pay much more towards the expenses of their First families than we do for the Royals.

[Me. I Am Salman]

Originally Posted by SaphLiike

No I like having the Royal family its the only thing Britain is known for..

We should be done with Priministers though, i'd rather have a President

We can't though because we have a Queen
-I think-

[Me. I Am Salman]

Originally Posted by Patrick

Yes, completely and utterly.

The only reason it's kept is because England want it so it looks like they're 'proper' and stuff like that, when all it does is give off the stereotype that British people are dull and worship the Queen when infact, we act like Simon Cowell has more relevance than the Queen.

It means nothing, it's pointless, just get rid of it.

Tourists worship the Queen more than us

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

On what planet do people think we all worship the Queen?

America.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Patrick

America.

Lol, I think they worship her more than we do. She doesn't even run the country in the strictest sense.

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by kizzy

The queen makes no decisions... Do you think th PM has to run everything by her he does?.
I think all the pomp and ceremony is ridiculous. Herand her entourage are just a drain, we would have tourists without her.

No kizzy,of course I don't think the PM has to run things past the Queen,in fact I know he doesn't but if we don't have a monarchy then we would have a President and quite frankly when I look at the often chaos over the water,also the politicians we get as leaders,I say no thank you to that.

The Monarchy has no power that is true but the Royal family bring in loads of income from tourists and I cannot for the life of me see where say,a President Blair,President Brown,President Thatcher or President Cameron would generate that income. Far from it but that is what we would get, Parties with leaders who would become President with all the funding that would entail too.

I personally love the pomp and ceremony,it is something unique we have, outdated maybe but it is like history coming alive.

For me anyway,long may it continue, I am at present 20 years old but I cannot see the monarchy being abolished in my lifetime and I certainly hope it won't be either.
I would never vote to abolish it and I doubt really,especially with William and Harry likely to be at the forefront of the Royals for decades to come,that the UK would in a referendum vote to abolish it either.

[Bollo]

Nay, I agree with Joeysteele... I personally think it's a part of british culture, however outdated. The attention / tourism/ unity the Kate/ Wills wedding brought to the Uk, never mind the extra bank holidays (+Jubilee), makes them still relevant I think