by David Bourne

Created on: April 23, 2008

Why would anyone wish to abolish the British Monarchy after all we live under a constitutional monarchy, therefore we must have a recognised constitution, which guarantees our freedom and liberties that are enshrined in our Constitution. I know it is fashionable to say that we do not have a written Constitution and there are many who make such a claim and in doing so merely display their ignorance of our history and our constitutional evolution; or their wish to destroy that constitution which is already in existence.

Despite the vicissitudes of our history we have never suffered a successful revolution such as happened in the USA, France, Russia or China for example. Therefore there has never been the necessity to start afresh having junked the old regime. There have been attempts to overthrow the established order notably; the De Montford Rebellion in 1258 which produced the first representative Parliament of town burgesses and the knights of the shires but which saw the return of the monarchy in 1266; Cromwell's Rebellion in 1649 which ended with the return of the monarchy in 1660; and the Glorious Revolution 1688 to 1689 which saw James II deposed, effectively under article 61 of the Magna Carta, and William and Mary accede to the Throne as our Monarchs. It would seem that whatever the drawbacks of a constitutional monarchy the alternative was unacceptable to the British people.

If we do not have a single written Constitution, for example as do the Americans, what do we have? I can do no better than quote one of our greatest Prime Ministers William Pitt the Elder who eventually was elevated to the Peerage and the House of Lords as the Earl of Chatham. Speaking in a debate in the House of Lords on 22nd.January 1770 on the State of the Nation he explained at length the problems that confronted the British at that time. Strangely his speech could almost have been made today as our Constitution is directly under threat by our present political masters. Pitt said in part "I thank God, my lords, for having thus preserved so inconsiderable a being as I am, to take part on this great occasion, and to contribute my endeavours, such as they are, to restore, to save, to confirm the constitution.". Having described at some length the grievances that were being experienced he went on "But I feel the principles of an Englishman....If the King's servants will not permit a constitutional question to be decided, according to the forms and on the principles of the constitution

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