No-one could replace the Queen

IN response to Philip Smith (Yorkshire Post, May 24) who states that he is in a state of despair at being denied the right to elect the country’s head of state, I would like to reply that he should despair no more.

The reason being that there is no one, absolutely no one, who could come anywhere near gaining the respect that HM Queen Elizabeth has both in this country and abroad.

Should it ever come to pass that it was deemed necessary to change the current arrangement, could I ask Mr Smith, who would they propose as a new head of state?

Presumably it would have to be someone known internationally, a politician perhaps, a film star, footballer or winner of Britain’s Got Talent? I think not.

Also who would qualify to stand for the position? Would the candidate have to be born in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, or maybe it would be open to any Commonwealth citizen, what about EU citizens, on the grounds of inclusivity. The list is endless.

My solution is lets stick with what we’ve got. There are millions of citizens of countries worldwide who would delight in having a monarch such as we have.

From: Martin Smith, Main Street, Elvington, York.

AFTER reading Philip Smith’s attack on the monarchy, I must conclude that the only thing we share in common is our surname.

He suggests that we have been deprived for 60 years from our right to elect a head of state. Presuming we were to follow the example of America or France, this would entail choosing a political leader representing a particular party with all the implications of political patronage which our system of constitutional monarchy avoids.

The Queen has given her life in a near faultless example of public duty and service, and serves as a stark comparison to recent political scandal.

The continuity she provides should comfort us in these difficult economic times, a reminder that she has lived through some of the worst times of the 20th century, but has lived to see better days.

In the meantime I, and I suspect millions of other UK citizens, will be celebrating the Diamond Jubilee weekend and enjoying a landmark occasion of this second Elizabethan age.

My namesake’s letter spoke of democracy. It is clear that the vast majority of the UK population prefer the current system, and would vote accordingly if given the opportunity to exercise their democratic right.

New of the ‘nasty party’

From: Terry Palmer, South Lea Avenue, Hoyland, Barnsley.

ED Miliband tells “Posh” Dave Cameron that the “nasty” Tory party is back during Prime Minister’s Question Time and receives classroom language in response (Yorkshire Post, May 23).

Where has Miliband been for the last couple of years because “Posh” Dave and his “nasty” party have never gone away.

“Posh” Dave is forced by the Speaker to withdraw his classroom remarks against Ed Balls and is also forced to apologise to the Beast of Bolsover, Dennis Skinner, for classroom remarks he made against him.

Obviously we have a Prime Minister that can’t hack it.

We have another of the “nasty” party demanding that “Posh” Dave makes it easier to sack workers on a whim. What next from the “nasty” party?

They closed all the mines so forcing seven year olds down the pit is a no-no, there are very few coal-fired chimneys so no luck in forcing youngsters up them, but I’m sure this “nasty” party will think of something.

Sympathy for police officer

From: Peter Hyde, Kendale View, Driffield.

I read with interest (Yorkshire Post, May 16) about a sufferer of Alzheimer’s disease being tasered and the implied criticism of the officer who used it.

While I agree that this was perhaps medically wrong, spare a thought for the officer concerned. Being faced with a violent man and having the safety of both doctor and himself to consider, he was faced with little choice.

With the benefit of hindsight, it is so easy to think of better ways of dealing with such a situation. But being there, and then expected to do something, the officer acted. Be assured, had he failed to do so, and someone had been seriously injured, the criticism would have been far greater. Until you have been in that situation, having to deal with a violent mentally unbalanced person, as I have, be guarded in your words.

My daily aid to learning

From: Terry Duncan, Greame Road, Bridlington.

IN my retirement, I watch several afternoon and evening quiz shows on television. My memory is not too bad on old geography, pre all the new boundaries, and on history because of all the dates we had to learn parrot-wise in my 1950s school days.

It is thanks to newspapers, which I do not think the younger generation now read, that I, now 70-plus, continue to learn daily about modern politics, sport, films, theatre and world affairs.

So, I am not surprised that quiz contestants who say they are studying at universities cannot answer the simplest of general knowledge questions.

I am sure it is not the present school teachers who are to blame; they are all victims of successive years of deterioration in teaching going back to the early 1960s when standards were strict and not destroyed by interference by quangos and trade unions.