Most people in Britain would prefer Queen Elizabeth to have the power rather than a politician. But what do you do if a monarch, like King Gyanendra of Nepal, decides that the politicians are so useless that a spell of absolute monarchy is in order?
As I understand it one of the issues A Very British Coup explored was the way the monarchical structure of the state might constrain a government trying to act in ways disapproved of by elite groups. In effect the Westminster model of responsible government is a house of mirrors. The person who in theory is merely the monarch's adviser in fact controls the situation, but this rests upon non-legally enforceable conventions not a proper codified constitution.
Thought at first Helen might be writng about Morkie Thatcher's recent foray in Africa. "When the abyss stares at me, it wets its pants." Brian Hopkins
Plus I doubt I could write about that poisonous little toad without saying something very bad indeed. keep to the Fen Causeway
