Finance: Research, Policy and Anecdotes

One does not have to be a royalist or monarchist to be touched by the passing of Queen Elizabeth II after 70 years on the throne. And one could have thought that this would be a moment of national reflection on how much the country has changed over the past seven decades and the challenges ahead.  However, it seems it has rather been used by the political class to silence an important discussion on how to address the economic, political and energy crises the country faces. And even worse, this reflection on the past 70 years has now given space to ugly scenes of a rising police state where even holding up the sign “Not my King” constitutes breach of peace, resulting in arrest, and where holding up a white sheet of paper triggers policy action.

Ultimately, this reflects the UK after 6 years of Brexit chaos. To avoid any serious discussion on what has gone wrong and how to address the crisis, politicians and media hide behind wall-to-wall reporting on national mourning and the new King (not to forget about the role of Harry and Meghan). It seems the country has been suspended for ten days, mourning the loss of a monarch that linked it back to the Empire and the more ‘glorious’ days of British history.  It is clear that in the coming years the country will have to face a reckoning, the question is how long it will take to get there.

Overview