NOTES AND THOUGHTS

hosted at Iniref.org
by the campaign for better democracy GB

Reformed monarchy or New Republic: In the 2020s could they co-exist?

For a new republic there is no need to replace the hereditary monarch (proclaimed as "Liege Lord" over us all) with an elected "king" known as a president. We should continue (with some well-designed improvements) with the governance system which we have, namely elected parliament plus strong government and prime minister. We would need a new presidial system but this must not require an executive president like they have in the United States of America. So the likes of Tony Blair or Boris Johnson would probably find the new role unattractive. In successful democracies there are different forms of presidial arrangements, for instance a rotation among government ministers, another might be to increase the remit and powers of an (elected) Electoral Commission. It's important to avoid a system which can install an egocentric authoritarian or a would be dictator as executive president. Proposals to introduce a republic of the UK or England or Scotland (et al) should be well thought out in order to persuade more people – citizens – of our state to accept good reforms.

Author: Wallace-Macpherson
October 2022

Further reading / Background

Articles cited below:

By a citizen who was arrested by police for protesting against the accession of Charles Windsor to the throne

By a campaigner for better democracy in Britain

Constitutional reform in the United Kingdom
Useful over-view in Wikipedia

How a roadmap to becoming a republic might actually work – views of experts and academics (i-news)

Critical view of a UK member of parliament who in order to start his job was obliged to swear allegiance to a monarch

{If you cannot find any of these articles on-line you may ask INIREF via info@iniref.org for help.}

Lewis, Clive. Member of Parliament for Norwich South

Amid the mourning, we republicans should look and learn – but we must not be silenced. Seen 27 October 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre022/sep/16/mourning-republicans-system-privilege

inews online article

Could the UK abolish the monarchy? How a roadmap to becoming a republic might actually work. Constitutional experts and republican campaigners envision how the UK might one day be convinced to elect its head of state instead, and how this could be done. With opinions of Nick Barber, professor of constitutional law and theory at Oxford Universityʼs Trinity College, Robert Hazell, professor of government and the constitution at the Constitution Unit of University College London plus others – experts and campaigners.

By journalists Rob Hastings and Chloe Chaplain September 24, 2022 (Updated September 30, 2022)

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/uk-abolish-monarchy-could-how-roadmap-becoming-republic-explained-1873136 /Seen online 22 10 2022

Macpherson, Michael. October 2009

CITIZEN-LED DEMOCRACY IS ESSENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

“Long before the Telegraph's exposure (2008) of expenses abuse by UK members of parliament, there was widespread and deep public dissatisfaction, not only with our politicians but also with the system of government and our democracy.” (from introduction)

“A crucial question remains, namely, how can we make ourselves a modern constitution when the "constitution" and related tradition which we appear to possess provide no suitable tools for the job? Given the essential and fundamental role played and to be played by electorates in making and changing modern constitution (see above), it appears most urgent that we should give ourselves the instruments of citizen-led democracy in order, as a people, to make, re-write and modernise our state constitution. (from concluding paragraph)

Published by the campaign for better democracy GB, online at INIREF.ORG

http://www.iniref.org/peoples.constitution.html

Useful over-view in Wikipedia seen 27 October 2022

Constitutional reform in the United Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_reform_in_the_United_Kingdom

Hill, Symon. Opinion published in I-news

Article (a) 14 September 2020

I was arrested for criticising King Charles but that won’t stop me protesting the monarchy. I did not interrupt an act of mourning but objected to a new head of state being imposed https://inews.co.uk/opinion/arrested-criticising-king-charles-protesting-monarchy-1855292 Seen 15 September 2022

Article (b) 30 September 2020

After my arrest for protesting King Charles, I’m more determined to question the monarchy than ever.

Symon Hill concludes:

“Democracy can only be partial when the top role in society is hereditary. Here’s to the day when we have democratically run local communities and democratic control of workplaces. This can never happen if we remain as forelock-tugging subjects of a king, but only if we live as equal citizens, respecting each other as equals and confident of our place in the world.” https://inews.co.uk/opinion/king-charles-arrest-protesting-question-monarchy-1883074 Seen online 27 October 2020

Symon Hill is Campaigns Manager of the Peace Pledge Union and a history tutor for the Workersʼ Educational Association