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Christmas

The King's Speech

(317 Posts)
Sparklefizz Mon 26-Dec-22 07:20:35

What did you think? I caught up with it on iPlayer last night just to see how it went as it was his first Christmas speech, and I thought he did quite well.

I also thought it was a very good idea not to be filmed sitting at a desk surrounded by personal photos which could then be picked apart.

Lathyrus Tue 27-Dec-22 14:13:25

pascal30

volver

Yes, we would, wouldn't we Mollygo?

Same as I have to live with lots of things/people I haven't voted for. But I have the hope that one day, more people will think the way I do and we can get rid of the Tory Government, get back into Europe, have Scottish independence, whatever. But whatever, it will be the choice of the majority of the people who vote.

As it stands at the moment, I have no hope that we can have a HoS that represents me and acts for the good of the people of the UK. Because as it stands, the Windsor boys have the job sewn up, and that can never change. Unless we make it happen.

I SO agree with your second paragraph Volver...

The choice of the people who vote?

You mean like the no vote for Scottish Independence?

😂😂😂😂😂🤔🙄

Smileless2012 Tue 27-Dec-22 14:14:35

Oh I see Lathyrus, yes you're spot on "That's the way to do it"smile.

It must be a great comfort to Charles to have William and Catherine by his side.

Lathyrus Tue 27-Dec-22 14:15:04

Anybody else see the humour in this?

volver Tue 27-Dec-22 14:16:46

I am learning quite quickly that reading comprehension is just about as good as listening skills among some of the denizens of Gransnet.

Lathyrus Tue 27-Dec-22 14:19:04

When twisted yourself into a knot with an argument resort to abuse😬

Viva La Republic😂

Parsley3 Tue 27-Dec-22 14:20:45

I thought that the RF were smiling because they were happy to see each other but clearly I am mistaken. I am so naive. I didn't realise that tbey were sticking it to Meghan and Harry. Thank you GNetters for putting me right.

Grantanow Tue 27-Dec-22 14:22:37

You make some valid points, volver, but the difference between an Elected Head of State and a constitutional Head of Government is not quite as clear cut as you imply. The example you give of the German EHofS to counter my examples of France, etc., is a case in point: the German President holds considerable reserve powers going well beyond what our constitutional monarch can do. For example, in modern times the President has refused on nine occasions to sign Bills passed by the Bundestag (the last time that happened in the UK was in Queen Anne's reign when she refused one Bill). He can of his own discretion dismiss the Chancellor, dissolve the Bundestag, declares a state of emergency and grant pardons amongst other things. One other point about the election of the German President by the specially convened Convention is that he is almost sure to be a member of the majority party in the ruling coalition which to my mind is a political risk in an EHofS.

Lathyrus Tue 27-Dec-22 14:23:51

I’m h yes, that too. Happy to be with loving, supportive people.
Three generations together. It would make most of us happy

Smileless2012 Tue 27-Dec-22 14:24:46

I'm sure they were happy to see one another Parsley. sticking it to Meghan and Harry would have been an added bonus.

Caleo Tue 27-Dec-22 14:32:18

Sparklefizz made a good point:
"I also thought it was a very good idea not to be filmed sitting at a desk surrounded by personal photos which could then be picked apart."

Thanks SF for the heads up. It's obvious to me now you mention it.

Callistemon21 Tue 27-Dec-22 14:48:41

nadateturbe

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ooh, someone's on duty.

Hope you're getting double time and mince pies, GNHQ!
🥧🍷££

Callistemon21 Tue 27-Dec-22 14:51:02

Galaxy

What? You can only have had a happy Christmas if you like the king speech. Dont be ridiculous grin

We missed it because we were having a good time!
😁

volver Tue 27-Dec-22 14:57:36

Grantanow

You make some valid points, volver, but the difference between an Elected Head of State and a constitutional Head of Government is not quite as clear cut as you imply. The example you give of the German EHofS to counter my examples of France, etc., is a case in point: the German President holds considerable reserve powers going well beyond what our constitutional monarch can do. For example, in modern times the President has refused on nine occasions to sign Bills passed by the Bundestag (the last time that happened in the UK was in Queen Anne's reign when she refused one Bill). He can of his own discretion dismiss the Chancellor, dissolve the Bundestag, declares a state of emergency and grant pardons amongst other things. One other point about the election of the German President by the specially convened Convention is that he is almost sure to be a member of the majority party in the ruling coalition which to my mind is a political risk in an EHofS.

That's interesting Grantanow, thank you for posting about the German system. Presumably they have decided that is the system that they want. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with a Head of State declining to sign a Bill. Our House of Lords often send a bill back for the Commons to look at it again and most of the time we just accept that as normal.

There is no need for us to adopt that model, or to have a President elected by a political Convention. We could all have a vote. Although of course, some think we're not really capable of deciding such a thing and might get it wrong. 😉

I'd reform the House of Lords too, but that's another thread 🤣

nadateturbe Tue 27-Dec-22 15:37:59

Callistemon21

nadateturbe

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ooh, someone's on duty.

Hope you're getting double time and mince pies, GNHQ!
🥧🍷££

They were only supposed to remove the first two. Never mind I made my point.......

volver Tue 27-Dec-22 15:39:56

You did nadateturbe. I read it, thank you.

nadateturbe Tue 27-Dec-22 15:50:56

Thanks volver.

DaisyAnne Tue 27-Dec-22 19:26:41

Mollygo

volver

No, really. Can we just stop with the "We could have had Thatcher/Boris Johnson/Nigel Farage/Jack the Ripper as President" thing?

It's beyond a joke and its getting very wearing...

Yes it’s wearing, from either side, but you can’t allow one without the other.
We could well have had any of those, or even 😱 Gordon Brown or 😱 Tony Blair. Why Jack the Ripper though?
What makes all the pro President posters presume people would pick a perfect or partially perfect President?
We voted for Brexit -remember?

Ah, you are so right Mollygo. But here on GN the conversation has to go according to what others believe. Perhaps we should go and discuss it elsewhere. That seems to be the message.

volver Tue 27-Dec-22 19:40:38

🎻

⬆️ That's the world's smallest violin.

Mollygo Tue 27-Dec-22 19:42:39

True DA. No need to discuss it elsewhere unless you are inventing GN rules.
Volver pointed out that the repeated comments from one side of the discussion were boring. Do you disagree that repeated comments from the other side can be equally boring?

volver Tue 27-Dec-22 19:46:14

Volver pointed out that the repeated comments from one side of the discussion were boring.

I did not. But there you go. 🤷🏼

Lathyrus Tue 27-Dec-22 19:51:54

Wearing, I think was the phrase.

Did you mean wearying?

Lathyrus Tue 27-Dec-22 19:53:49

Or perhaps it was wearying. I can’t find it now. Was it in the middle of volver’s mansplaining about government 😬🙄

volver Tue 27-Dec-22 19:54:43

(sigh)

volver Tue 27-Dec-22 19:55:55

Sorry.

Did I just mansplain the meaning of "wearing"?

Lathyrus Tue 27-Dec-22 19:56:54

Oh yes, thank you for explaining it to me……..