May one have £32 million to redecorate one’s house please?
That’s what the Queen has asked the government for this week. Most people just hope to win the lottery, but the Queen doesn’t have to. She just asks the people of Britain to cough up, probably put it on their credit-crunched credit card, and carries on - as her family have done for the last several hundred years.
I’m decorating my house right now. It’d be nice if someone else would pay - it’s a listed building just like the palace - but for some reason, my family connections don’t qualify me for public money.
But, here’s a novel solution, why don’t we just turn around and say “No!”. This is our country, we elect the government and it’s our money which pays the Royal bills. Since Parliament is sovereign in practice, not the Crown, we can pass legislation to stop having to bail out the aristocrats in our country.
Don’t let people distract you with wails of “they bring in tourists” and “its part of our tradition”. The Tower of London is more profitable for having been vacated by the Royals. Imagine how much revenue the government could raise if people were allowed to walk around all the Royal residences. Nepal managed it without a proper democratically elected government - surely we can rise to the challenge?
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