Ministers laud monarch’s calls for respect for others that were interpreted as Brexit reference

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Ministers have praised the Queen after she spoke about seeking “common ground” and “never losing sight of the bigger picture”, remarks widely interpreted as a veiled reference to the toxic debate around Brexit.

In a speech to mark the centenary of the Sandringham Women’s Institute (WI), the Queen spoke of the virtues of respecting other people’s points of view.

The chancellor, Philip Hammond, told the BBC’s Today programme there was “huge wisdom” in her words.

“I don’t think anybody will be at all surprised to hear the Queen advocating the view that in all things controversial, we should seek compromise, we should seek common ground and we should seek a way forward,” he said.

“That is actually what we do in this country, that is how we solve problems, by compromise and pragmatism. It’s been our enormous strength over centuries that we have been able to find compromises that bring the nation together.”

Theresa May’s official spokesman declined to comment directly on the Queen’s remarks, but told reporters: “The prime minister’s own view is that we should always show great respect for the point of view of others.”

As head of state, the Queen remains politically neutral in public and does not express her own views, but many commentators have seen her words as referring to the divisive nature of conversations around Britain’s EU departure.

Conservative MPs and ministers used Twitter to express their support for the Queen’s words, with the health secretary, Matt Hancock, tweeting: “I agree with the Queen.”

Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, said “wise words from the Queen”, while Bim Afolami, the MP for Hitchin and Harpenden, wrote: “The Queen is right.”

The Queen attends a meeting of the her local WI once a year at West Newton village hall as part of her winter stay on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

During the speech, she said: “As we look for new answers in the modern age, I for one prefer the tried and tested recipes, like speaking well of each other and respecting different points of view, coming together to seek out the common ground and never losing sight of the bigger picture.

“To me, these approaches are timeless, and I commend them to everyone.”

It echoed her Christmas address, when she touched on the same theme, telling the nation: “Even with the most deeply held differences, treating the other person with respect and as a fellow human being is always a good first step towards greater understanding.”