DR Philippa Whitford, MP for Central Ayrshire, during her talk with Paul Kavanagh and Callum Baird on the Wee Ginger Dug Podcast of September 20, stated that the Queen had been “misled” by Boris Johnson et al. Others have made similar statements including that the PM lied; he has apologised I think for causing her embarrassment. The Queen is cast as a naïve innocent. Well, that cannot be.
Even the most politically disinterested of the population of the United Kingdom surmised, suspected, knew, why the prorogation of five weeks was implemented. A highly informed, intelligent, politically experienced monarch would not be among those who accepted it as normal and proper. So I think the Queen was probably aware of the move. She must also have been aware of the damage to the monarchy it would cause, as historian professor Tom Devine immediately stated. It would seem that she had to do as she was told. What are these powerful forces that are at work?
READ MORE: Rees-Mogg tells Brexiteers to trust PM as talks at critical stage
In the civil war and the eventual establishment of the constitutional monarchy, why was it deemed necessary to have a monarch at all? Would the dumb peasantry be reluctant to obey a non-king or queen?
Is it a bit like the First World War, when the supply of young aristocrats with a three-week life span on the Western Front ran out and subalterns had to come from the middle class. They were sent to Oxford and Cambridge for a few months so as to acquire a veneer of the gentleman, only by whom the rank and file soldiery would be content to be led – the thinking went.
Well if my notions are right, what began as an elite political policy of necessity evolved into colourful pageantry celebrating and associated with the glories of war, rule and empire, and now has become an insulting and expensive con to the infinitely more educated and aware citizens of this country.
Victor Moncrieff
Lanark
THANK you David Pratt for such an incisive piece on the betrayal of the Syrian Kurds (UK Government is complicity in Turkey’s efforts to crush the Kurds, October 11). I agree that Trump and Edrogan are surely very fearful of how effective the collaborative regime in Rojova has been. A model of real democracy and a template for us all.
David Platt refers to “ethnic cleansing” and later refers to Ankara “antipathy” towards the Kurds. Is it not the case that Edrogan’s policies over many years has been to eradicate Kurdish Culture – to ipso facto create a “pure” “Turkoman” nation? In effect, genocide in all but name.
Willie Oswald
Blanefield
I ALWAYS look forward to the thoughtful and well constructed articles by Martin Hannan. However, the piece about the possible cancellation of the match against Japan, and the criticism of the SRU is somewhat over the top (SRU legal threat to World Rugby is all just bluster, October 12).
READ MORE: Rugby World Cup: SRU legal threat to is all just bluster
I’m more of a football fan, but like Martin have a grudgingly admiration for cricket and do watch rugby international matches with great gusto.
I wonder how the Japanese and English officials and sport writers would react to their games being cancelled if they still required points to qualify. I’m certain there would be uproar and condemnation of the tournament, so Martin how do you reply to this, do you think they would take it in their stride and accept non-qualification?
D Gill
Kinross
SO Townsend has been exposed at last. He has no pedigree as a coach.
When Sean Lineen built up the basis of a good Glasgow side he was inexplicably moved sideways by the SRU to make way for Townsend, who revelled in the success that Glasgow had but did nothing to improve the side. Then the SRU got rid of the best coach Scotland ever had and moved Townsend into the position Cotter had built the basis of a very successful team, and again Townsend has reaped the benefit of someone else’s work and added nothing. What a hopeless shower we have at Murrayfield.
Ronald Livingstone McNeill
Strachur
WE had a letter printed in the National on Saturday, with the details of the vigil in Edinburgh for the Catalan political prisoners whose “sentence” will almost certainly come out tomorrow and be punitive. We had planned to have it outside the Mercat Cross in Edinburgh but asked people to keep an eye on our FB page for up to date information. Unfortunately that part was cut out. The Venue has changed. It will now be at 6pm outside Register House, junction of East End of Princes Street/North Bridge and opposite the Balmoral Hotel. I wonder if you can print this correction.
Laura Crespi and Crìsdean Mac Fhearghais
CDC (Catalan Defence Committee) Edinburgh
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