Jubilations

Polls continue to show overwhelming support for the Queen and the whole idea of monarchy. Only a fifth or so of us support a move to a republic. Even the Australians opted to keep the Queen as their head of state when they had a free choice - yes, really, Australians (see here).

So what conclusions can we draw from the apparently unswerving popularity of the monarchy?

• A lot of people like the status quo. Conservatism runs deeper than we might think, even among younger generations.
• That said, I suspect there are a lot of people who would like to see a scaled-down, more self-sufficient royal family, but who wouldn't go as far as calling for abolition and a republic.
• If you can get away with it, saying very little and promising even less is a great strategy for staying popular and out of trouble. Politicians must wish they had this option, but of course they have to compete for votes and actually do stuff that affects our lives, so it's not.
• Britain will be a monarchy for the foreseeable future, although the Queen will no doubt be a tough act to follow. Maybe the scaled-down option will start to come into play once she is no more on the throne.
• Arguing the rational case for a republic with monarchists (i.e. the majority) is about as fruitful as arguing the case for the non-existence of god with people of faith. This is about heart, not head.

Hope everyone enjoys the long Jubilee weekend!