http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4119194.stm


'The Royal Family cost Britons £36.7m last year, equivalent to 61p per taxpayer, new figures show'.

Value for money???

Originally posted by chickmonk
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4119194.stm


'The Royal Family cost Britons £36.7m last year, equivalent to 61p per taxpayer, new figures show'.

Value for money???

only for comedians

and how much do the Royal Family bring into this country in tourust revenues?

i wonder how much money they brought into the uk from all the tourists that come over here?

Worth every penny as far as im concerned.

Originally posted by chickmonk
'The Royal Family cost Britons £36.7m last year, equivalent to 61p per taxpayer, new figures show'.

Value for money???

I'm as republican as they get (with a small 'r'). Some may even deem me unpatriotic.

But £36.7m is nowt compared to the billions wasted elsewhere in the general day to day ruining of Dear old Blighty.

That the Royal family bring tourists to Briatin is a myth. If tourists came to this country because of them then they would have stopped coming a long time ago - a tourist very rarely sees a member of the royal family while on holiday in Britain.

That a family with hundreds of millions of pounds of personal wealth should get public money is beyond me. Charles spent £300,000 to charter a plane for a trip to the Tsunamai area and £45,000 to take a train from Aberdeen to Plymouth. Andrew spent £125,000 getting to the far east. If they must use taxpayers money for this kind of thing, then they should look for the cheaper alternative. These journies can be done for 1% of the cost!

£36.7m or 61p for each person in the UK.
I 'think' we can afford that can't we? Hell.....I'll round it up to an even £1 :wink:

I'm sure the royal family bring in a damn site more than they take out.

Originally posted by vidster
£36.7m or 61p for each person in the UK.
I 'think' we can afford that can't we? Hell.....I'll round it up to an even £1

Do you want to pay my 61p;)?


I'd chop the heads off the lot of 'em if I had my way, then mince the remains & feed what's left to the corgis:thumbsup:!

The public won't put up with this family for much longer.

Originally posted by Trever
The public won't put up with this family for much longer.

They've really just turned into a tabloid joke since the Fergie and Diana divorces onwards.

The value for money as regards tourist trade income was rubbished years ago.
We'd still get as many tourists without a monarchy.

61p? Not much is it?
Especially when you consider the amont of money wasted each year.

What I strongly object to is the fact that I don't get a say in how my 61p is spent.
No has ever asked me if I want to live in a monarchy.

Every 5 years I get my say in a General Election but am denied the opportunity to say Yes or No to being someones "subject".
I'm not advocating a referendum along with an election but surely with the death of a monarch we should then be given our say.
Afterall it is a constitutional monarchy we've got and they are obliged to do as parliament instructs, so why not go the whole way and vote them either in or out?

My own view?
I don't see the the necessity to have such an outdated institution in a modern democracy.
The only thing they generate is discontent and jealousy amongst their "subjects".

I'm not a royalist by any stretch but I can't get wound up bout 36 million a year when you looks at the wastage in other places.

The accounts of the amounts of money paid to the royal coffers by the state are probably the best audited accounts in Government due to this sort of public interest.

It's a shame that the same interest isn't taken with other sources of expense for the UK.

Joe

id be quite happy with no monarchy :)

oh that would be a happy day

When this came on the news last night I was very cross.

I drew a deep breath, squared my shoulders and then opened my mouth ready to start a nice big rant...

...but before I could start, my partner shouted "It's a bargain, well worth every penny." He then looked over to me as he rummaged in his pockets, and said, forstalling my rant "Here you go, have 61 pence from me. I'll pay your contribution too, they're worth it."

So that effectively shut me up.

We don't need them, waste of money if you ask me.

So out dated

On Radio 2 yesterday, I was reliably told in the pub last night, the Royals responded by saying that if we can find a cheaper monarchy in Europe they'll refund the difference... :clap: :clap:

Where do I start looking then Mrs Queen? :hihi:

Originally posted by vidster
£36.7m or 61p for each person in the UK.
I 'think' we can afford that can't we? Hell.....I'll round it up to an even £1 :wink:

I'm sure the royal family bring in a damn site more than they take out. Agreed !

Think of how much we pay to the EU, I don't see you guys wingeing about that, and it's a lot more !

We would miss them if they went!!

Think of this- if they went and slid into obscurity- our head of state would be a politician!!! How can you be proud of that??

Anyway- this is a no-brainer- the royal family is NEVER going to disapper no matter what anyone says and i think by the time william comes to the throne i believe that there will be a compleatly differant style of monachy!!

I've always considered myself very anti-royal, but not even I can claim that this sort of money really makes a difference - I'd happily pay it to be different from the US! ;) I'd be genuinely interested to know if the royal family does or doesn't bring tourists to this country though. I can't help thinking that a fair few American or Japanese (to pull a couple of countries out of a hat!) tourists are drawn to the UK because of the monarchy Think of the crowds around the palaces etc; I admit that there are other tourist attractions but some would choose other destinations surely.

I'm happy to be proved totally wrong if that is the case however!

60 odd pence is nothing,

However ridiculous they are to us they pull in thousands of drooling Japanese and American tourists. :)

I wonder how much the continuing war in Iraq is costing us, people don't seem at all concerned about that anymore.

There was some speculation recently that it would cost £7 billion to restore Britain's roads to the state they were in 20 years ago, so £36 million is peanuts.

A lot of people get uptight about the Royal family because they're thinking of the actual people. The Monarchy is a different matter. Without the Monarchy we'd be stuck with a President, and looking around the world I can't say that prospect is appealing. Legally the Monarchy, albeit a constitutional one, is a check on the politicians. In law, the armed forces, and the judges owe allegence to the monarch, not to Mr Blair or whoever is in number 10. On a day to day basis we don't see much of this, but it enabled the judiciary to put two fingers up to Blunkett when he tried to order the judges about. And should a government try to order the armed forces to do something illegal, they are entitled to tell the politicians to get lost. (which makes the Iraq fiasco all the more interesting!)

Originally posted by vidster
£36.7m or 61p for each person in the UK.
I 'think' we can afford that can't we? Hell.....I'll round it up to an even £1 :wink:

I'm sure the royal family bring in a damn site more than they take out.

We probably pay alot more than that if you exclude the unemployed, elderly, children, asylum seekers etc etc

i think they are worth it, but they spend all this money helping other nations and keeping up relations.

TRY STARTING HELP AND KEEPING UP RELATIONS WITH YOUR OWN PEOPLE!

Originally posted by algy
A lot of people get uptight about the Royal family because they're thinking of the actual people. The Monarchy is a different matter. Without the Monarchy we'd be stuck with a President, and looking around the world I can't say that prospect is appealing. Legally the Monarchy, albeit a constitutional one, is a check on the politicians. In law, the armed forces, and the judges owe allegence to the monarch, not to Mr Blair or whoever is in number 10. On a day to day basis we don't see much of this, but it enabled the judiciary to put two fingers up to Blunkett when he tried to order the judges about. And should a government try to order the armed forces to do something illegal, they are entitled to tell the politicians to get lost. (which makes the Iraq fiasco all the more interesting!)

If we had a president that we'd elected then it would be our decision whether or not we kept him (or her).
With an unelected monarch we have no such choice.

Wholeheartedly admit that there are some pretty dire presidents around at the moment but be honest, do you really want Prince Charles to be your Head of State? Do you?

A lot of what they are being paid is for civic duties - a job like the rest of us. I agree that maybe they shouldn't get so much for personal holidays etc, but I think they are aware of the public dislike of this now and are ceasing it. And I agree that I'd rather have a monachy that is steeped in tradition than be like America and have a president. I like that we have pomp and ceremony, and, like someone said earlier - I'd miss them if they weren't here.

And the tourists don't JUST come to see a member of the Royal Family, they come to see all things related - Buckingham Palace etc.

Originally posted by PhilipB
If we had a president that we'd elected then it would be our decision whether or not we kept him (or her).
With an unelected monarch we have no such choice.

Wholeheartedly admit that there are some pretty dire presidents around at the moment but be honest, do you really want Prince Charles to be your Head of State? Do you?
Presidents have a track record of changing the rules once they're elected so that you can't get rid of them, and since they control the forces and the judiciary, trying to displace them is a nasty business. As for Prince Charles, if it was a choice between him or any of our politicians, then yes, I'd choose him any time.

Originally posted by banesmabes
That the Royal family bring tourists to Briatin is a myth. If tourists came to this country because of them then they would have stopped coming a long time ago - a tourist very rarely sees a member of the royal family while on holiday in Britain.

I agree. What exactly do tourists get - an audience with the queen? I've seen them on telly more and I live here.

Originally posted by algy
Presidents have a track record of changing the rules once they're elected so that you can't get rid of them, and since they control the forces and the judiciary, trying to displace them is a nasty business. As for Prince Charles, if it was a choice between him or any of our politicians, then yes, I'd choose him any time.

The forces and judiciary are allegedly, and yes I know by our constitution legally, within the realm (no pun intended) of the monarch.
However considering that it's parliament that introduces the law(s) and decides the size, shape and use of the armed forces then the role of the monarch is reduced to that of a figure head.

If our unelected head of state were to interfere in the running of the country there would be civil unrest to an unprecedented level.
Just look at the furore when a member of the royal family pontificates on some aspect of public life.

Sorry but I'd like to see a referendum when the current monarch dies.
If the populace say they continue all well and good. If the vote goes the other way then we establish a republic.

Either way let US decide.

Excellent value. Watching the Troop every year makes it all worthwhile. It was excellent this year. :)

I notice that in tomorrows papers there is a story about a £65 million trial that has collapsed.
I wonder if it will get as much press coverage and discussion as the royal family are receiving?

Originally posted by BoroughGal
A lot of what they are being paid is for civic duties - a job like the rest of us. I agree that maybe they shouldn't get so much for personal holidays etc, but I think they are aware of the public dislike of this now and are ceasing it. And I agree that I'd rather have a monachy that is steeped in tradition than be like America and have a president. I like that we have pomp and ceremony, and, like someone said earlier - I'd miss them if they weren't here.

And the tourists don't JUST come to see a member of the Royal Family, they come to see all things related - Buckingham Palace etc.

Did you know that attending Royal Ascot and other such events is counted as a ciivic duty? Doesn't sound too much like hard work to me. And generally they will cram as many of these duties into a day as possible so that they can then be on holiday for 5 months of the year.

And yes, tourists come to see Buck Palace etc - but that building would still be there if we didn't have the royal family. History wouldn't stop if we got rid of them - we'd just start a different kind of history. I personally would like an elected president, but not in the American style - someone who is a figurehead rather than a politician. Someone who is popular with the public - I think Stephen Fry would be fantastic at the job!

Originally posted by Lickszz
Excellent value. Watching the Troop every year makes it all worthwhile. It was excellent this year. :)

Have you always been this much of a Royalist or did your estimation of The Royal Family only go up after Diana was bumped off :suspect:

It would be interesting to see comparable figures for the cost of members of the government, cars with drivers provided for even the smallest journey, houses provided with the job at no cost to the individual, security, etc. And yes I know they were elected, but only a small proportion of the population voted for them, so the majority of us are paying for someone we didn't vote for just like the Royal Family. (And no this isn't an anti-Labour rant, the same applies whoever is in government).

Originally posted by Abdul
£36.7m is nowt compared to the billions wasted elsewhere in the general day to day ruining of Dear old Blighty.

:)

Originally posted by JoePritchard
I'm not a royalist by any stretch but I can't get wound up bout 36 million a year when you looks at the wastage in other places.

It's a shame that the same interest isn't taken with other sources of expense for the UK.

Joe

:)

Originally posted by scottf
We would miss them if they went!!


Speak for yourself!

Originally posted by Greybeard


I wonder how much the continuing war in Iraq is costing us, people don't seem at all concerned about that anymore.


:)

Originally posted by SteveWilson
We probably pay alot more than that if you exclude the unemployed, elderly, children, asylum seekers etc etc


I was thinking something very similar to this.

Always interesting how you can manufacture costs to support an argument :suspect:

Originally posted by banesmabes
I personally would like an elected president, but not in the American style - someone who is a figurehead rather than a politician. Someone who is popular with the public - I think Stephen Fry would be fantastic at the job!

Or maybe a Sadam Hussein? He's not too busy at the minute and would probably jump at the chance of living in Buckingham Palace.

We'd just have to take the Queen for a short journey through a tunnel in Paris first.

£36.7m a year,
Iwonder if we can get a quote from HRH Michael Hastings.

stop complaining - 61p per person per year is value for money - compare that to nearly 6000 quid which I have to pay in income tax and ni every year - what do we get for that - bugger all - i know which i would rather give


i'd much rather 61p goes to rf than the poxy govt depts and hs managers and all the other job worths in local councils that we pay the wages of

this govt along with all govt are crap. period. they will never do much for you - these days being a hard working family counts for nothing as you get penalised - people on benefits drive better cars than me and have bigger tellies

Originally posted by Abdul
Have you always been this much of a Royalist or did your estimation of The Royal Family only go up after Diana was bumped off :suspect:

More conspiracy conjecture Abby? You tell me factually, how you know Diana was bumped off. Then you may become credible.....maybe. ;)

Originally posted by Lickszz
More conspiracy conjecture Abby? You tell me factually, how you know Diana was bumped off. Then you may become credible.....maybe. ;)

I always liked to believe that the driver of the white car they never found was Prince Phillip :hihi:

Originally posted by terrano
people on benefits drive better cars than me and have bigger tellies

There are many thousands of family's across this nation who fit that bill, and we pay far more than 61p per year for them,they produce nothing that benefits us or the nation as a whole, just more off spring to continue their lineage and the spiralling costs of their upkeep.

Im no fan of the royal family, but i do like the history behind our monarch, its more intresting than havin a president....
must admit, it would be funny to see them working in mcdonalds though....:hihi: :hihi:

Originally posted by Lickszz
More conspiracy conjecture Abby? You tell me factually, how you know Diana was bumped off. Then you may become credible.....maybe. ;)

If this is the last post I ever make before I disappear, never to be seen again, will that be proof enough for you ;)

Originally posted by madowl
Im no fan of the royal family, but i do like the history behind our monarch, its more intresting than havin a president...

True enough.

Imagine how boring History lessons would be in one hundred years' time!

Originally posted by Abdul
If this is the last post I ever make before I disappear, never to be seen again, will that be proof enough for you ;)

I must say Abby, you are so paranoid that someone is out to get you, I bet you have a rear view mirror on your excerise bike. :D

I am a royalist and proud of it. I think our Royal Family work extremely hard for the money we pay. They attract tourists but a lot of their work is also aimed at 'selling' British products and encouraging investment in this country. The amount of work they do is rarely publicised, because in part, that is what they want.

The Royal Family not only do work to promote this country but also work tirelesly on behalf of all the charities they are involved with.

If you stayed in some of the royal palaces and saw the actual life they live you would realise they are quite frugal in their day to day living. Of course the Queen hosts lavish banquets when we have visiting representatives of other countries but would it be any less if we didn't have a monarchy? no, it would cost us much more.

Having a Royal Family is an honour IMHO that many other countries don't have and they envy us for it.

How much money is spent each year paying for the board of prisoners? Bet it's far more. So, why do people not complain about that rather than rant about the Royal Family? The Royal Family has made huge changes over the past few years, cutting the number of people receiving allowances and also being open about expenditure. They gave up the Royal Yaught Britannia as well as lots more things we don't even know about. Our current monarch, the Queen is acutely aware of expenditure and i would defy anyone to do what she does for less money.

Oh Hels! What twaddle - I'd have expeccted this from Viking, but not you :hihi:


Originally posted by Hels
I am a royalist and proud of it. I think our Royal Family work extremely hard for the money we pay. They attract tourists but a lot of their work is also aimed at 'selling' British products and encouraging investment in this country. The amount of work they do is rarely publicised, because in part, that is what they want.

The Royal Family not only do work to promote this country but also work tirelesly on behalf of all the charities they are involved with.

If you stayed in some of the royal palaces and saw the actual life they live you would realise they are quite frugal in their day to day living. Of course the Queen hosts lavish banquets when we have visiting representatives of other countries but would it be any less if we didn't have a monarchy? no, it would cost us much more.

Having a Royal Family is an honour IMHO that many other countries don't have and they envy us for it.

How much money is spent each year paying for the board of prisoners? Bet it's far more. So, why do people not complain about that rather than rant about the Royal Family? The Royal Family has made huge changes over the past few years, cutting the number of people receiving allowances and also being open about expenditure. They gave up the Royal Yaught Britannia as well as lots more things we don't even know about. Our current monarch, the Queen is acutely aware of expenditure and i would defy anyone to do what she does for less money.
ps tourists don't come to see the royals.
Buildings yes.
I'd do the Queen's job/ lifestyle for my current income (£22k)willingly.

Originally posted by Don_Kiddick

ps tourists don't come to see the royals.
Buildings yes.
I'd do the Queen's job/ lifestyle for my current income (£22k)willingly.

Can't agree DK.

A long term friend of mine, having worked in the past at Buck House and later as part of the Sergeant at Arms team at the House of Commons met and talked with tourists from many nations. He tells me that the people he spoke to come to see the Royals as well as the rest of history good or bad.

While at Buck House he told me the first question they asked was "is she in" when it is pointed out you can tell if HM is in if the Royal Standard is flying she is, they were very disappointed when they found out she was not at home, and would wait for hours or return day after day to see is she or any of the other Royals turned up.

We saw how many came to the Queen Mothers funeral again they flew in from around the world, and from all corners across of the UK to pay their respects, to be part of what they considered to be a historical occasion.

Without doubt they loved their visits and stated that at home they had nothing to compare or match it.

Does anyone know what Prince Edward does?

60 odd pence is nothing,


It is when it's x 65 million.

Regards

Angel.

Does anyone know what Prince Edward does?


Has a very nice life, by accident of his birth.

Regards

Angel.

and how much do the Royal Family bring into this country in tourust revenues?


I prefer the French way of getting tourists in. Kill the Royals and open up their palaces to the public. Seems to work for them.

at least she pays some tax :hihi:

Does anyone know what Prince Edward does?


You must have been REALLY bored to bump a 6 year old thread :hihi: