Why the monarch matters ?
bbc / Phillip Blond
06-Apr-2011


The influential political thinker Phillip Blond created the concept of the "red Tory". He argues that the monarch has an important, continuing and foundational role in contemporary British politics.

When we think of the monarchy we almost immediately think of something anachronistic, something over. Something belonging solely in history, at best charming but really faintly ridiculous, clearly kitsch and only for the tourists.

Modern progressives will smile indulgently at monarchist sensibilities.

They will talk about how our new democratic constitutions have finally and thankfully dispensed with such undemocratic and unrepresentative notions, and that kingship is now purely ceremonial.

But a moment's reflection will show that monarchy is not past or indeed passing. After all do we not still have kings - even if we call them something else?

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