Queen to Abdicate?

[Kmac84]

kmac just google the civil list, royal family costs and benefits etc etc

you really do have a one eyed approach that diminishes any point you make on this matter

"The monarchy costs 69p a year for every person in Britain, or £1.33 per taxpayer. In return, besides the Crown Estate profits, there is the unquantifiable, but enormous, tourist revenue it generates."

was one quote, for example, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/7850335/The-Royal-family-is-a-bargain-for-Britain.html

net net the royal family costs the taxpayer nothing, and generates cash that is spent in other areas

Must be true then because the Civil Service is most impartial.

but you don't address the point, just come back with a half arsed cynical counter

so wrapped up in your ideology that you are unprepared to accept the facts

beat me to it Tighty....also like this bit from it:

The German presidency costs about the same as the Queen, but how many tourists line the streets of Berlin to catch a glimpse of – er – what is his name?

He was elected to his position right, unlike the German Queen of England.

so you're saying someone born in Britain with British Nationality isn't really British because one of their Great Great Grandparents were foreign?

Have you considered a job with UKIP?

If so, I hope he is not relying on postal votes.

Postal votes should be banned. 

[DungBeetle]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/10/lebron-royal-protocol-arm-kate_n_6301382.html

This is the sort of nonsense that reeally annoys me about the royals.

We aren't allowed to touch them?

Why not?

FWIW, when asked, they said it was fine.

I think this is the sort of thing that isn't really a thing anymore, but newspapers use it to manufacture a story on slow days. Diana was very tactile, and it seems like Wills & Kate are much the same.

I must admit though, I have nothing against the Royals, think they are good for the economy and personally don't envy them being born into the limelight....however even though I'm probably more pro royal than against, I don't think I would bow or call them your magesty if I met them. Just does not sit right with me.

Robbie Coltrane refused to bow to the Queen at some fancy do once.

William seems like a decent bloke, but I'm a million to one to bow if I ever meet him.

There's only one member of royalty I'd consider bowing to:

Sir Les Ferdinand.

To be honest you're a billion to one to meet him if you won't bow (unless you lie I suppose).  They were at my Mrs's function and it's very pre-arranged.  Everyone has to have their passports vetoed by secret service bods etc.  I'd bow if I met him.  It's just respecting protocol, like when I carefully study a Japanese CEO's business card when I meet him.  Just keeps everyone happy.

[DungBeetle]

I don't really think the cost or benefit the Royal Family bring is the point.

(I don't buy the fqact they attract tourists. The tourists would still come and gawp at Buckingham Palace. Possibly more so when they would the chaance to tramp through all the rooms they are denied entry to currently. "And this the room where Micheal Fagan saat on the queens bed and offered her a fag...")

It's the fact in the 21st Century that people in power/authority are there by birthright, not elected.

Come on Camel.  They don't have any power/authority really.  They are just a performing circus attraction which brings in the tourists.  I'd rather be a normal citizen than Prince Dung.

[Mark_Porter]

Postal votes should be banned. 

Why?

[Kmac84]

Postal votes should be banned. 

Why?

Leaves door open to voter fraud, people who are perhaps not entitled to vote can get a vote - I know of numerous examples this happened in Referendum on both sides.   And if you can't be arsed going to vote then you shouldn't be allowed to vote imo.  I'd maybe allow it in the most extreme set of circumstances. 

[Ironside]

Postal votes should be banned. 

Why?

so that the hard working posh boys who commute to the city every day cant vote for the tories

[Mark_Porter]

Postal votes should be banned. 

Why?

Leaves door open to voter fraud, people who are perhaps not entitled to vote can get a vote - I know of numerous examples this happened in Referendum on both sides.   And if you can't be arsed going to vote then you shouldn't be allowed to vote imo.  I'd maybe allow it in the most extreme set of circumstances. 

I know nothing about it but assume it's there for people who struggle to or who do not want to go to a polling booth - the elderly, those with special needs etc.

My nan always votes but I doubt next year she will want to get a bus, and stand in line for an hour (she is 86) when she can just post it. If you take away postal voting then are you not essentially restricting who can vote?

Extreme circumstances is always a rocky road as to where you draw the line. Why not just have a system that is not open to fraud. I had never heard the current one was really.

[DungBeetle]

Restrict it to the disabled, the elderly and those serving/working overseas.   Problem solved.

[DungBeetle]

"I had never heard the current one was really."

In the Bordesley Green ward, he ruled that up to 2,000 postal votes were fraudulent, and in Aston 1,000. In many cases whole families had had their votes intercepted and changed by Labour.
Chaman Salha, a solicitor for the Aston Labour councillors, said the result was a "dark day for democracy".


http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/apr/05/politics.localgovernment

[Mark_Porter]

Interesting, if that is still happening today then the focus should be on producing a system so that it can't. I assume it's not rife enough to warrant it or it's going undetected.

Restricting anyone that wants to vote from voting doesn't seem right when the general population is already so apathetic.

[Kmac84]

Interesting, if that is still happening today then the focus should be on producing a system so that it can't. I assume it's not rife enough to warrant it or it's going undetected.

Restricting anyone that wants to vote from voting doesn't seem right when the general population is already so apathetic.

I'd be more open to techology being used, but that also has downsides. 

[DungBeetle]

Postal is much harder to police.  Just get down to the voting booth for heaven's sake unless you can't make it for valid reason.

Happened again in the Tower Hamlets election for mayor.

"The extremist-linked mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, benefited from “considerable” postal ballot fraud and may also have been helped by “organised fraud in the counting of the votes”, according to his Labour Party rival. "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10993065/Industrial-scale-fraud-in-mayors-victory.html

[RED-DOG]

Quick question. Does anyone posting on this thread think that their arguments will have any effect on Kmac84 other than amusing him?

[horseplayer]

Quick question. Does anyone posting on this thread think that their arguments will have any effect on Kmac84 other than amusing him?

Probably not

Could very easily say the same about any thread in this section. Never seen anybody change their mind including me and plenty of others.

Does not stop it being interesting

[Kmac84]

Quick question. Does anyone posting on this thread think that their arguments will have any effect on Kmac84 other than amusing him?

Absolutely not.  Free loaders aren't my cuppa tea.