Platinum Jubilee bunting and outdated royals will not heal the wounds of our society - GP Taylor

I don’t think I have ever recovered from the Sex Pistols being kept off the No. 1 slot with their single God Save the Queen back in 1977.

It was an injustice to a generation at a time when the economy was in a mess and an uprising seemed to be around the corner. Did the powers that be really think that allowing the band their rightful place on Top of the Pops would start a revolution?

Forty-five years later, the single has again been released and I like thousands of other people have already downloaded the song. I admit, this was a gesture of protest and seemed the only thing I could do to say how unhappy I am about the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

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The Queen. Picture: Getty.The Queen. Picture: Getty.
The Queen. Picture: Getty.

I have said before that Queen Elizabeth is obviously a very special person and has done an amazing job keeping the show on the road as several members of her family attempt to bring the dynasty to an end with their car-crash lifestyles.

However, I do hope that she will be the last full-time Royal and we can change to a more European monarchy.

One thing is certain, having such outlandish and lavish celebrations at a time when people are having to choose between heating or eating is a grave mistake. Public trust in the Government and politicians of all varieties is at an all-time low and our monarchy is seen as an irrelevance.

We have all endured two years of Covid-control and our liberties have been significantly eroded. Poverty is increasing and many people are worried that they may not be able to pay the mortgage.

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Yet, the Royal pageant will play out on our TV screens and there will be no escape. Already, on the street where I live, yards and yards of plastic bunting is draped from building to building.

This is just another mound of single-use plastic that will be disposed of, adding to the mountain of waste these celebrations will cause with plastic tablecloths, plates and nostalgic tat destined for landfill or the seashore.

The last thing we should be having forced on us is state pomp and ceremony that to modern eyes is totally irrelevant to the lives we are all trying to lead. There are more pressing concerns facing us all than being coerced to enjoy watching the Royal family wandering around dressed like the cast from Bridgerton. The only highlight will be if the woke warrior, Harry and his publicity-savvy wife, turn up to steal the show.

Even if 25 million people tune in or take part in a street party, there is still a significant majority of people who will not. I certainly do not feel guilty for not joining in with something I feel is outdated and incongruous to modern life. That is my personal choice and should be respected.

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As a republican, I would be a hypocrite to take part in something that should have ended with the abdication of King Edward. The age-old line that the Queen brings in more than she gets paid is starting to wear thin as more and more people are having to resort to going to food banks to feed their families. Let them eat Jubilee cake is just not good enough.

The celebrations are a total waste of public money that could be better spent on helping people in dire need as energy companies greedily put up the cost of fuel, with higher prices seemingly manufactured on demand to fill the pockets of shareholders.

I am surprised that Her Majesty hasn’t called for a scaling back of the festivities to match the public mood. That would have been the only sensible thing to do. It is outrageous that so much money is spent on marking an event that could have easily have been celebrated with a simple church service.

Instead, we are subjected to days of events taking place on a grand scale. Trooping of the Colour, Royal processions, flypasts, street parties and balcony appearances are all things of the past that should have ended with Magna Carta. They have no relevance at a time of severe financial crisis.

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How can we justify these celebrations at a time like this? It is as if the Government are feeding us an opiate to keep the stupid masses quiet for another year, paying us off with an additional bank holiday for not taking to the streets in protest over their handling of the pandemic, ‘partygate’ and the lies we have been told.

The idea that the Jubilee will bring communities together is ridiculous. After the hangovers have worn off, the country will not have changed one jot for the better. The divide between rich and poor will continue to grow and all of us in the middle will be squeezed.

Party hats, plastic flags and bunting will not heal the wounds of our society. The whole celebration is a mass distraction to take our eyes from the real ills that are dividing our land.

- GP Taylor is a broadcaster and writer who lives in East Yorkshire.

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