On borrowed time - the royals

The Queen would be my definition Grany. Never been a member of any political party......unlike mr Higgins!

Oh I'd love to see a Putin type character ruling this country !

Just for a week

Grany Michael Higgins stood for the presidency as the labour candidate

When you take the job you have to be no partisan that is the rule

Human nature being what it is, a Tory will always be a Tory and a socialist etc.

I’ll settle for the Queen thanks.

But we have no idea what the Queen's politics are. If non-partisan presidents are as rare as unicorns, then by extension surely the Queen must have some political thoughts that we know nothing about.

I enjoyed President Higgins's speech, thank you for posting Grany

Every time I’ve ever thought it’d be an excellent idea to get rid of the RF, I’ve then wondered whether I’d have preferred e.g. Tony Blair as President/Head of State, with Cherie as First Lady.
That’s generally cured me.

Out of interest, if we could elect one tomorrow, who would any GNer like to see as President and Head of State?

“.....the Queen must have some political thoughts that we know nothing about.”

Right again Alegrias, which is why she’s the best HoS. All those PMs she’s dealt with would probably all agree on that.

Alegrias1

But we have no idea what the Queen's politics are. If non-partisan presidents are as rare as unicorns, then by extension surely the Queen must have some political thoughts that we know nothing about.

We have heard that she liked Harold Wilson but disliked Margaret Thatcher.

Right again Alegrias, which is why she’s the best HoS. All those PMs she’s dealt with would probably all agree on that.

Pantglas well said.

Grany you are claiming Michael Higgins stood as the Labour candidate but the day he was elected he brushed aside
his political beliefs ?

Do pigs fly

Piers Morgan. ?

I just scrolled down and saw Piers Morgan's name under the line Do pigs fly - for a second there I thought things may have gone too far again! ?

I honestly can't think of anyone better than the Queen right now when it comes to head of state. Better the devils we know for me.

Pantglas2

“.....the Queen must have some political thoughts that we know nothing about.”

Right again Alegrias, which is why she’s the best HoS. All those PMs she’s dealt with would probably all agree on that.

The fact that she advises the PM (advise, warn, encourage, is it?) and we have no idea from what political perspective she is basing her advice, that is a problem for me.

My recommendations for President - Sarah Gilbert, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Marcus Rashford. People of honour who represent the best of British values.

The kind of people whom we might consider would be best for the job would most likely be the kind of people who would not want it.

*Callistemon" I had been thinking the flip side to your post - that those who would be most keen to have the job would be the ones who would do it worst.

“The fact that she advises the PM (advise, warn, encourage, is it?) and we have no idea from what political perspective she is basing her advice, that is a problem for me.”

Her political perspective Alegrias comes from almost 72 years of actual experience in doing the job! Add in the learning from her father for around 5 years before that and all those PMs and world Heads of State along the way.....I can’t think of anyone who’s had that benefit, can you?

I'm not being argumentative here Pantglas2, what you say is true.

But it does concern me that we are prioritising experience of what the world was like 70 (60, 50....) years ago with knowledge of how it is now. Look how excited we all get when we learn that the Queen has used Zoom.

But we still don't know what drives her; concern for the people of the UK, I'm sure, but that probably comes from a "Conservative" viewpoint and that is bound to influence her advice.

sorry, that should have been conservative with a small "c". I'm not suggesting she is a Tory!

I suspect she's driven by an innate sense of duty - but never having quizzed her I can't know. From what I've observed over the years I think she tries for political neutrality as much as any of us can, but even the most self aware have to admit that nothing happens without a degree of self interest. A president would be no different, and perhaps substantially more self and politically driven? Wouldn't have to be to go that route? being born to it without choice is a mite less machiavellian than striving for it out of a sense of being suitable for the job of representing a nation because you're that great. Again, better the devils we know.

The President doesn't have to have a political responsibility though, do they? They can be a figurehead without any input into the business of government.

I'm guessing, but I don't expect every country relies on a hereditary HoS to advise the government of the day? How do they do it in (e.g.) Sweden, or the Netherlands?

Ummm this is England/ Great Britain, each country to its its own, & if that means some folks actually like having & want to keep the RF so be it , feel free to leave if you don’t like it .

Bridgeit is it necessary to be quite so confrontational? I'm having a serious conversation about how the country could be modernised and you suggest I leave and live somewhere else?

Incidentally, I'm not in England.