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If the UK had a referendum on abolishing the monarchy, how would you vote?


View Poll Results: Should the UK abolish the Monarchy?
Yes - It's an outdated institution 31 34.83%
No - The Monarchy represents the UK. 58 65.17%
Voters: 89. You can't vote on this poll right now - are you signed in?

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Old 04-01-2017, 11:51
OvertheUnder
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Scenario: The Queen has died. Prince Charles becomes king but abdicates due to an undisclosed chronic illness (Dementia)

The Crown passes to William, who offers the UK the chance to vote to abolish the Monarchy in it's current form.

How you would vote on the question: "Should Great Britain abolish the Monarchy?"
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Old 04-01-2017, 11:52
Dotheboyshall
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Depends on what replaces it.
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Old 04-01-2017, 11:56
James Frederick
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Yes..
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:28
paulschapman
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Scenario: The Queen has died. Prince Charles becomes king but abdicates due to an undisclosed chronic illness (Dementia)

The Crown passes to William, who offers the UK the chance to vote to abolish the Monarchy in it's current form.

How you would vote on the question: "Should Great Britain abolish the Monarchy?"
It would be No - but not for the reason you give in the poll - simply the Monarchy provides an important function in our democracy - and we change that at our peril.
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:42
OLD HIPPY GUY
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Yes in a heartbeat, how can any country call itself a democracy when it has an unelected head of state who lives a life of extreme privilege wealth and luxury due to nothing more than being born into a family that has been granted this privilege wealth and luxury for centuries?
I want to live in a modern 21st century democracy and not some "quaint" medieval theme park.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:07
Shrike
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...I want to live in a modern 21st century democracy and not some "quaint" medieval theme park.
Yes, why live in an archaic constitutional monarchy like Denmark, Sweden or The Netherlands when we could be voting in a head of state to be proud of - like Silvio Berlusconi, Vladimir Putin or Donald J. Trump?
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:10
jcafcw
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Can you add a third option of, "I couldn't give a rat's behind whether we keep the monarchy or not,"

As that how I would vote - and probably the majority of the UK.

More important things to think about.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:15
blueisthecolour
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Sounds like the EU referendum all over again. Lets ask a question without any idea of what we do if we get the wrong answer.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:18
mungobrush
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I want to live in a modern 21st century democracy and not some "quaint" medieval theme park.
The problem you have is to come up with an alternative model
This is why the republican referendum failed in Australia
Not because we didn't want to become a republic, but because we didn't like the alternative as proposed.

Australia went for the minimalist model with the head of State being appointed by parliament and having largely ceremonial powers - just like the current Governor General.

The constitutional problem of "the dismissal" has never been resolved (when the Queen sacked the elected Prime Minister)

"When the people voted, the republic case was smashed. It lost in every state. It lost the national vote by a landslide, 55 per cent to 45 per cent."

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/why-th...27-gmf1vu.html
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:22
bspace
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Nothing like loaded questions eh.

No - it's the sensable option when the alternatives offer no discernible advantage except to those with an irrational dislike of a titular monarchy and said monarchy is already in place.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:25
alan29
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No. Politicians don't need another job.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:31
Granny McSmith
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An elected Head of State? A few years ago I'd have said "Yes", but it sounds so much like a job just waiting for Blair to manipulate his way into, I'd now definitely say "No".
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:33
glasshalffull
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Absolutely NO...I have no truck with monarchy as such...but given the recent diabolical track record of recent govts of all hues when it comes to "constitutional" matters I shudder to think what kind of dog's breakfast they would make of the alternative and even more what kind of dog's excrement we'd get as head of state.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:34
Jayceef1
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It would be No - but not for the reason you give in the poll - simply the Monarchy provides an important function in our democracy - and we change that at our peril.
Ditto.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:40
jmclaugh
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I see no advantage in replacing what we currently have with an elected head of state no doubt selected from a cesspit of politicians.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:45
glasshalffull
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I see no advantage in replacing what we currently have with an elected head of state no doubt selected from a cesspit of politicians.
...with a few Z list reality "stars" and X Factor hopefuls thrown in to make it look less of a stitch up...I'm sure Kerry Katona would present a dignified figure at the Cenotaph
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:57
mungobrush
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I see no advantage in replacing what we currently have with an elected head of state no doubt selected from a cesspit of politicians.
That would only be the case if - in your new constitutional model - the Head of State was a political role.
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Old 04-01-2017, 14:01
worzil
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It would be No - but not for the reason you give in the poll - simply the Monarchy provides an important function in our democracy - and we change that at our peril.
Could not agree with you more.
The Monarch hold not only Britain together but also the Commonwealth and if Britain is to go on and make a success as an independent Nation we will need all our friends.
Besides what would London be without the Monarch I can't see all those tourist coming to see a President .
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Old 04-01-2017, 14:05
Dotheboyshall
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Sounds like the EU referendum all over again. Lets ask a question without any idea of what we do if we get the wrong answer.
Precisely.
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Old 04-01-2017, 14:06
glasshalffull
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That would only be the case if - in your new constitutional model - the Head of State was a political role.
Yeah like we were told Police and Crime Commissioners would all be "local", "independent" or "experienced" people...what did we end up with there...a whole bunch of political party time servers who could not wait to pin a rosette on themselves to get elected.
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Old 04-01-2017, 14:06
Dotheboyshall
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That would only be the case if - in your new constitutional model - the Head of State was a political role.
Which is why you can't just say 'abolish the monarchy' until you know what the replacement is
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Old 04-01-2017, 14:14
mungobrush
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Which is why you can't just say 'abolish the monarchy' until you know what the replacement is
It would require a re-write of the constitution
And if people thought that Brexit was complicated ..........................
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Old 04-01-2017, 14:29
Arcana
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At this point I think I'd favour reform of the monarchy, especially vis a vis the role of the monarch in the established church, rather than abolition.

I would abstain.
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Old 04-01-2017, 14:59
blueblade
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Can you add a third option of, "I couldn't give a rat's behind whether we keep the monarchy or not,"

As that how I would vote - and probably the majority of the UK.

More important things to think about.
Wouldn't that just be not bothering to vote?
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Old 04-01-2017, 15:05
Tanky
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I would not vote on such a question, as it isn't the question I would put forward. I would rather have the referendum's question be along the lines of, "Should the monarch pay for it's own expenditure?". I don't have a problem with them being in power, as long as they pay for everything they do. They can either do that or step down.
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