Even though it was always an inevitability, I, like many fellow Brits, could only be in a sober state of mind when news was received that Queen Elizabeth II’s stout heart had finally stopped beating, and thus, the longest reign of any monarch in English history had reached its closure.
Liz was the best possible monarch. We should let the institution go out on a high note. The rest of the royals of the world can pay their respects at her funeral, then go home and abdicate. We'll give them a month before we break out the guillotines, out of respect for tradition.
As a postman and a republican I agreed with the decision of my 'supposedly radical union' to cancel a day of strike action that had been scheduled for the day after the Queen's death. This dispute could be a long-haul and the decision was a strategic one. Had ROYAL Mail workers struck on that day it could have undermined public support for the strike and would have provided our enemies with a stick to beat us with. Also, a 120 000 postal workers would have lost a further days pay without the dispute and the picket lines recieving any public or media attention due to the preoccupation with the Queen's passing. Ultimately, it will be the actions of postal workers that are decisive in this dispute, rather than public opinion and the media, but the latter are important and have to be taken into consideration (especially public opinion because the post remains a public service despite having been privatised).
Liz was the best possible monarch. We should let the institution go out on a high note. The rest of the royals of the world can pay their respects at her funeral, then go home and abdicate. We'll give them a month before we break out the guillotines, out of respect for tradition.
As a postman and a republican I agreed with the decision of my 'supposedly radical union' to cancel a day of strike action that had been scheduled for the day after the Queen's death. This dispute could be a long-haul and the decision was a strategic one. Had ROYAL Mail workers struck on that day it could have undermined public support for the strike and would have provided our enemies with a stick to beat us with. Also, a 120 000 postal workers would have lost a further days pay without the dispute and the picket lines recieving any public or media attention due to the preoccupation with the Queen's passing. Ultimately, it will be the actions of postal workers that are decisive in this dispute, rather than public opinion and the media, but the latter are important and have to be taken into consideration (especially public opinion because the post remains a public service despite having been privatised).
Keep up the good work Ralph.