Also, I’m quite fond of the Queen and her role. While she must offer advice to ministers and cabinet members, it would be quite improper and nontraditional for her to do so in public. The Queen is a perfect role model for Charles as HoS.

Having said that, Gavin, you must realise that if you encourage an unelected HoS to become or remain politically active, you may get some political views expressed that you don’t like. What if during an election Charles started saying that in his view Labour policies would be best for Britain – would you be quite so approving of his intervention?

Closer to home, do you think this is a good use of senior officer time in Adur and Worthing?: http://jackworthing.blogspot.com/2008/11/fiddling-while-worthing-burns.html

I never heard of this country before; where is it and when did it come into being? The country we live in is the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – I happen to like that, although I recognise there are many who don’t, both in the SNP and the CEP, not to mention Plaid. Incidentallly, taking that title literally it could hardly be a ‘United’ Kingdom as one of the parties (Wales) has not had its own monarchy in a VERY long time and is currently a ‘Principality’ of England. Without Scotland the UK would cease to exist, whatever way you crunch it – I think that would be a bad thing, but the whole legal basis for the country would inevitably change if England and Scotland regrettably parted company.

Personally I see no need to change from a monarchy to a republic, although I’m not totally opposed provided a future President occupied a purely honorary position (e.g. like Ireland, Germany or Israel); what I would object very strongly to would be an Executive President, such as they have in the US or France, who represented a political party affiliation. It’s a pity that Anne couldn’t take over from the Queen; that’s one rule that badly needs changing, although whilst Charles remains alive that wouldn’t make a practical difference I suppose, as he is older.