WTF? Prince Charles offered a veto over 12 government bills since 2005

[skyscraper101]

Democracy in action.

Ministers have been forced to seek permission from Prince Charles to pass at least a dozen government bills, according to a Guardian investigation into a secretive constitutional loophole that gives him the right to veto legislation that might impact his private interests.
...
A spokesman for the Prince of Wales would not comment on whether the prince has ever withheld consent or demanded changes to legislation under the consent system. "Communications between the prince or his household and the government are confidential under a long-standing convention that protects the heir to the throne's right to be instructed in the business of government in preparation for his future role as monarch," he said. Daniel Greenberg, a former parliamentary counsel and now parliamentary lawyer at Berwin Leighton Paisner, said: "It is something of a nuclear-button option that everybody knows he is not likely to push. But like the nuclear deterrent, the fact that it is there, influences negotiations."

Grauniad link

Royal ascent is one thing and pretty much just symbollic (albeit undemocratic but hey). This until-now secret veto of Charles is a bit more troubling though (given his fondness for interferrence in government). If the fact this was kept secret until now isn't worrying enough, the fact his spokesman won't even deny whether he's vetoed anything is more than just a bit concerning too. His recently discovered fawning over Gadaffi doesn't exactly do him any favours either

 

[xenon]

Vote royayl.

 

[likesfish]

part of me is like fuck off charles
another part of me is considering how many bloody stupid ideas goverments come up with the more vetos and obstacles put in their way is a good thing.
king Charles 3rd the best hope repbulicans can hope for

 

[scifisam]

part of me is like fuck off charles
another part of me is considering how many bloody stupid ideas goverments come up with the more vetos and obstacles put in their way is a good thing.
king Charles 3rd the best hope repbulicans can hope for

He'll be George VII. Agreed about the delays - making life more difficult for politicians is rarely a bad thing.

 

[1%er]

Interesting thread. I had no idea, but I guess as it was a secretive loophole, not many people did.

It says "secretive constitutional loophole", does this mean it has gone on for years or is prince Charles the first to exploit this loophole?

 

[dylanredefined]

Democracy in action.

Grauniad link

Royal ascent is one thing and pretty much just symbollic (albeit undemocratic but hey). This until-now secret veto of Charles is a bit more troubling though (given his fondness for interferrence in government). If the fact this was kept secret until now isn't worrying enough, the fact his spokesman won't even deny whether he's vetoed anything is more than just a bit concerning too. His recently discovered fawning over Gadaffi doesn't exactly do him any favours either

Oh come off everyone and their dog was praising Gadaffi they thought the nutter would jump through hoops if they offered him enough praise.Good thing the Arab spring happened when he did or the west would have re armed him

 

[ayatollah]

He'll be George VII. Agreed about the delays - making life more difficult for politicians is rarely a bad thing.

Yeh well..., jolly japing about the future George VII aside, perhaps some future radical government trying to take on the power of the top 1% might find the British Monarchy's constitutional "Right" to select Prime Minister's and governments, give approval for Bills, etc, a tad problematic. I don't know if anyone can remember the now well documented half hearted coup "plotlets" against the Labour Governments in 1968 and 1974 by more unstable elements of the Ruling Class, but I'm afraid the extraordinary "reserve powers" held by the British Monarch due to the "custom and practice" nature of our unwritten British Constitution are an ever present underlying threat to the democratic process, particularly at a time of social turmoil . And unlike, apparently some here, I have NO faith in any member of the Royal family to look after anyone's interests but themselves and their top 1% chums.

 

[yield]

Secret royal veto powers over new laws to be exposed
guardian, Friday 31 August 2012

Information commissioner orders release of guide to how Queen and Prince Charles must be consulted before laws are passed

A little-known power enjoyed by the Queen and Prince of Wales to alter new laws is due to be exposed after the government lost a legal battle to keep details of its application private.

The information commissioner has ruled that the Cabinet Office must publish an internal Whitehall guide to the way the senior royals are consulted before legislation is introduced to ensure it does not harm their private interests.

A sop for the republicans?

 

[skyscraper101]

The fact that the government were even able to keep this part of our 'democratic' process secret for so long pretty worrying.

 

[Pickman's model]

It's nice to know some people are still able to keep secrets

 

[skyscraper101]

Letters to ministers to be revealed, judges rule

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/sep/18/prince-charles-letters-ministers-judges

 

[purves grundy]

Look forward to reading those.

But why did the nobs split?

 

[yield]

Letters to ministers to be revealed, judges rule

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/sep/18/prince-charles-letters-ministers-judges

In their 126-page ruling, the judges, led by Mr Justice Walker, acknowledged that some people "fear, among other things, that disclosure would damage our constitutional structures". However, they dismissed the arguments put forward by the Whitehall departments, saying they had a "strong air of unreality" and were "difficult to pin down".

 

[elbows]

Release blocked by the attorney general according to breaking news on the BBC ticker.

 

[Mation]

It's your count that votes. Yay.

 

[Vintage Paw]

Release blocked by the attorney general according to breaking news on the BBC ticker.

Yep, vetoed. So, is there a way to appeal a veto, or is it as final as it sounds?

This is incredibly dodgy. I was looking forward to some nice revelations coming out with which to use as more ammo to call the cunts a bunch of cunts.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

We're ALL in this together.

 

[skyscraper101]

You just know he's been writing bonkers letters about grey goo and that. Probably vetoed it out of sympathy.

 

[Bernie Gunther]

To be honest, I'd be equally interested in seeing what they've got on Rupert Murdoch's veto over policy, or that of the Daily Mail.

To say nothing of the absolute veto held by the bond markets.

 

[Arlarse]

See here we go with the deflection away from the one family that has absolute control over the church and state here. All the rest is social construction. Shame on you bernie..

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Of course they do. Absolute.

 

[Arlarse]

Of course they do. Absolute.

Sure you can suck my cock, but nothing more because I don't really like you.

 

[elbows]

lol @ absolute control. Now I've lost my motivation to have a sensible discussion about this. I'll have another go tomorrow.

 

[elbows]

Interlude, especially for Arlarse.

 

[skyscraper101]

Secret papers show extent of senior royals' veto over bills

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/14/secret-papers-royals-veto-bills

 

[teqniq]

So, what the fuck is to be done about this?

 

[Garek]

So, what the fuck is to be done about this?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

So, what the fuck is to be done about this?

We are ripe for a revolution.

 

[Frank Merton]

I'll be upfront about this: I'm a monarchist. The best governments in history have been monarchies. There are a few difficulties about succession and what you do when a nincompoop inherits, but clever people should be able to figure out solutions.

The main thing is you get rid of the influence of money and power on politics, and all the cheap stuff that goes on during elections.

 

[Idaho]

We just need some of those nice, mentally stable, left wing fringe groups to get involved. You know, the ones who like to argue about infinitesimal nuances of unprovable theories that no one understands.