How queen gets last word on UK election
After an election that left no party with a clear majority, the final decision over who becomes Britain's next prime minister could lie in the hands of one woman who never votes: The queen.
As a head of state, Queen Elizabeth has numerous traditional roles when it comes to elections and government, yet these are usually no more than ceremonial.
However, as with Thursday's vote that saw the opposition Conservatives secure more seats than Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour Party but not enough to form a working government, the queen's position becomes more complicated.
The queen is the embodiment of Britain's constitutional monarchy and everything is done in her name. No laws can be passed nor parliaments opened or dissolved without her approval.
Such strict protocols bind all stages of the process to install a new prime minister -- often with a pomp and grandeur far removed from the boisterous world of British politics.
The 2006 film "The Queen" offered insight into this when Helen Mirren, playing the monarch, invites a nervous and kneeling Tony Blair to become prime minister after his 1997 landslide victory.
In her six decade reign, Queen Elizabeth has dealt with 11 prime ministers, including Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, who reputedly had a tense relationship with the monarch during the weekly audiences that are also a traditional necessity.
Typically, although it is her role to anoint prime ministers, the queen does not get involved in the political process, remaining above the fray.
After an election, the queen will wait to see if the current prime minister gets a majority or assembles a coalition before inviting them to form a government. Only if they admit defeat and resign can she start to look elsewhere.
As negotiations to form a coalition progress, the queen will be kept informed from a distance, avoiding any direct involvement in the decision.
A high level group including her private secretary and the Cabinet secretary will brief her, but she will not be drawn into controversy.
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16 comments to THE POWER OF ONE WOMAN WHO NEVER VOTES
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Penangite Drop Mukhriz, bring in KJ says Umno blogger
~~ FreeMalaysiaToday
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Anonymous Mooky sez you(the people) must be grateful to his dad.
Therefore although there isn't that much to choose between him and KJ, he is still, clearly, the greater abomination.
~wits0~
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Anonymous Indeed, Penangite, even SuckMango also sez, IOW, that Mooky is worse than KJ.
http://fwd4.me/NTO
~wits0~
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Anonymous What has Her Excellency Rosmah Mansor, Malaysian first lady, got to say about this?
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Unknown Dear Kampung Girl
It is worsening day by day. Very saddening. My heart goes out to the Sultan and may the Almighty protect, preserve and heal him quickly.
Have a nice day!
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Unknown Dear Penangite
I agree with Dato's views as expressed in his blog re this issue.
Salam
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Unknown Dear ~Wits0~
Very true. It is clearly between the devil and the deep blue sea!
Cheers
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Unknown Dear Anon @ 10.47am
Trends indicate that she seems to speak when the situation brings benefits so....
:-)
Cheers
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Unknown Dear ~wits0~ @ 8.41 am
Thanks for the link! That is one article that as many should read :-).
Have a great week.
Cheers
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NICK Sis,
The Queen clearly understood that the monarchy, any monarchy exist first and foremost BY the people and FOR the people and not the other way around.
This truth goes double for an elected government, any elected government. A government is not the ruler of a land but merely administrator/the manager of the land. They do not own the position BUT are instead elected into that position. But somehow, AMMO and their band of nutcases especially the minister of Vulture Culture, managed to delude their mind that they are 'The' owner of this land and are "bestowed by GOD" the right to rule this land. (All of them clearly show all the symptoms of psychosis).
(This symptom is not confined only to the AMMO nutcase politicians but shows sign of infecting their spouses too. Clearly it affect some of them in much "Bigger or larger" extend than other..wink..wink..).
GOD bless, Sis and have a great week ahead.
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Unknown Dear Nick
Sorry I published the uncorrected version earlier. My eyesight is not as good these days - reading too much and getting old :-). Have deleted those two entries.
Thank you for your very lucid response to this post which is exactly what I had hoped to elicit from readers :-).
I appreciate your thoughtful and analytical observations and hope that more will be looking at our world with sharper perspective lest we be beguiled by rhetoric.
Take care and have a blessed week.
Salam
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ahoo Queen Eli has outlived many PMs of England and indeed she plays her role with excellent.
Not too sure how will history judge our NEW "first lady" as named in ads in the USA ? Too sick to mention it as only a bipolar person(split personality) will behave like this. Yuk !
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Unknown Dear ahoo
Yuks too!!!
Well, it is good for those like me who want to shed pounds...
With one look, :-) like in the song from 'Sunset Boulevard', I will lose my appetite!!!
LOL
cheers
Anonymous Long live the Queen!