The 'Royal' Family
I was very fond of the Royle Family.
Great acting. I loved Sue Johnson, Ricky Tomlinson and especially Caroline Ahern. They reminded me a lot of my own not-so-royal family. For example, they featured my mother's secret chocolate biscuit stash (in the kitchen, up beside the water heater). The episode I will never forget was Denise (Caroline Ahern) cooking Christmas dinner 'with a twist', the twist being she'd forgotten to defrost the turkey.
The Royal Family? Meh. Not so much. Certainly not when they insist on turning up to state events looking like the cast of some Ruritanian satire.
Prince Charles assures us today he won't interfere in government. That's good of him. He can't anyway. The law prevents it.
The trouble with Charles as a head of state is that he's old. He has been old since he was about 15. And he is so mired in the 19th century way of life of the aristocracy that he knows nothing about life as it is lived by most people in the UK today.
For Scotland, I'm looking for someone who can represent the country abroad as well as at home.
Every time I mention this idea of having a different head of state, I get people asking me who I would like to have if not the Royal Family. Tony Blair? I don't think so. For one thing, we would be dealing with an independent Scotland so we can forget all the Ruritanian rules that apply to the UK.
Let's look at our (independent) neighbours: Eire. They have recently had as president Mary MacAleese and Mary Robinson, both respected academics (that is, not active politicians). Mary Robinson set up a foundation to look at climate change and she has a special interest in the effects of climate change on the Third World. Mary MacAleese (originally form Northern Ireland) is more controversial. She was a politician and now works in Glasgow University as a professor for 'children, law and religion'. Eire now has as president Michael D Higgins, a poet. Repeat: a poet.
Great acting. I loved Sue Johnson, Ricky Tomlinson and especially Caroline Ahern. They reminded me a lot of my own not-so-royal family. For example, they featured my mother's secret chocolate biscuit stash (in the kitchen, up beside the water heater). The episode I will never forget was Denise (Caroline Ahern) cooking Christmas dinner 'with a twist', the twist being she'd forgotten to defrost the turkey.
The Royal Family? Meh. Not so much. Certainly not when they insist on turning up to state events looking like the cast of some Ruritanian satire.
Not that the Windsor family are in any way a joke. You only have to look at how well they've done financially over the last 60 years to see 'the firm' (as they call themselves apparently) still shows a large element of native cunning, if not intelligence. Plus they have this ability to breed. The Windsors must now be as numerous as Queen Victoria's lot.
Prince Charles assures us today he won't interfere in government. That's good of him. He can't anyway. The law prevents it.
The trouble with Charles as a head of state is that he's old. He has been old since he was about 15. And he is so mired in the 19th century way of life of the aristocracy that he knows nothing about life as it is lived by most people in the UK today.
For Scotland, I'm looking for someone who can represent the country abroad as well as at home.
Every time I mention this idea of having a different head of state, I get people asking me who I would like to have if not the Royal Family. Tony Blair? I don't think so. For one thing, we would be dealing with an independent Scotland so we can forget all the Ruritanian rules that apply to the UK.
Let's look at our (independent) neighbours: Eire. They have recently had as president Mary MacAleese and Mary Robinson, both respected academics (that is, not active politicians). Mary Robinson set up a foundation to look at climate change and she has a special interest in the effects of climate change on the Third World. Mary MacAleese (originally form Northern Ireland) is more controversial. She was a politician and now works in Glasgow University as a professor for 'children, law and religion'. Eire now has as president Michael D Higgins, a poet. Repeat: a poet.
Michael D has just been elected for a second term. It's written into the constitution that nobody can serve more than two terms. No hereditary positions allowed.
So who would we have in Scotland? How about Tom Devine? Or Elaine C Smith or Andy Murray or...anyone who is not a politician or an aristocrat. Not necessarily born in Scotland. Just someone who has opted to live and work here and could represent us well.
Last time I posted about the future of an independent Scotland, I got dog's abuse from one person who thought we should be focusing on the immediate future - the second independence referendum. As you'd expect, I disagreed. I think we have to have a bigger view of Scotland and be asking big questions, like who are we? where do we plan for Scotland to be in 50 years? what is the future for our children and grandchildren?
If we don't think these big thoughts, who will?
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