11 September

Here's a way to think about Queens and Kings, in the time of Covid and climate change. The Queen reigned for 70 years, and we know almost nothing about her, as a person. Nothing about her personal opinions or beliefs. She performed an institutional role, defined collectively. Now imagine if our political leaders today did the same. Performed the role required of them for example by our public health acts, for Covid. Or performed the roles required of them by our environmental legislation, for climate change. Performed their institutional roles, like the Queen. We'd have no climate change emergency, and no Covid emergency. Instead though we get public policy driven entirely by their own, individual political beliefs and opinions. That's not progress, sorry.