I have often been criticised for spending too much time attacking the Monarchy. So I ask the question, Is the Monarchy a relevant enemy or a symbolic irrelevance? Feedback would be gratefully received.

I have written blog posts about the monarchy on many occasions. The posts have received many positive comments, but have also attracted lots of criticism. The criticism is not about the content of the posting, as the audience that has read them are generally in agreement, and in no way, pro-monarchy. The criticism is always around the relevance of the monarchy in the wider class struggle.

I am told to. “Stop wasting your time talking about an irrelevant group of people”. Or, “they are just symbolic; and they do not have any power”. Or asked why it is relevant to workers and their everyday struggles?

Whilst not fully agreeing, I have always understood the point of view. For me, the monarchy is much more than just a tokenistic symbol of the class system. They are a direct manifestation, with much more money, power, and influence than most people would believe.

Surely educating and motivating people to fight against the class system must stretch beyond economics, politics and the work place? Do we not need to combat every aspect of the system? Of course, I do mean looking beyond the physical abnormalities, sex lives, and the unusual peccadilloes of the Royal family. I do try and focus on the real issues!

I would really welcome constructive feedback on the issue of the monarchy. If you are one of those people who believe them to be irrelevant, and targeting them, a waste of time, then please consider the following before giving your feedback.

1) The Royal family own all of the sea bed that is underneath British waters. Whilst these millions of acre’s may seem irrelevant. The Royals are charging extortionate ground rent for offshore wind farms, which is in turn leading to the need for massive subsidies for the renewable energy industry.

2) The Royal family are given £38.5 million a year. However, much like an MP and his or her expenses, with all the added extra’s, the real amount is well over £100 million each year.

3) When we had the Royal wedding earlier this year we received an extra bank holiday, which cost the economy £20 billion, which is slightly more than the government’s estimate of £500 million that the recent strikes cost.

4) Prince Charles has legal powers to prevent parliamentary legislation that directly or indirectly affects anything on his land. He has used these powers to overturn legislation on several occasions.

5) The Queen has a personal fortune of £500 million, which includes cash, jewellery, stamps, art etc.

6) They Royal family own over £10 billion worth of property.

7) The Queen owns 120,000 hectares of land. (not including the seabed).

8) Prince Charles owns 133,000 acres of land worth £700 million.

9) The Royal family do not need planning permission to build anything.

10) They have enough rooms in their castles and palaces to house all the homeless people in London.

11) We allegedly have a shortage of land to build affordable homes on, yet these bastards are the biggest land owners on earth.

12) The Queen is the head of the Church of England. Another organisation that controls and brainwashes elements of the working class.

13) The Royal family are part of a wide aristocracy and ruling class that sinks it poison into the house commons, lords, the judiciary, and the church.

14) Whilst supposedly politically neutral, what influence does the monarchy have on crack pot MP’s like Jacob Reece Mogg, or individuals high up in the armed forces? Didn’t the Queen mother have something to do with a plot against Harold Wilson?

15) The Queen has the ‘right’ to be consulted by governments. She has a veto that means she can refuse to dissolve parliament and sanction a general election. She has the Royal Prerogative, which confers governments to pass legislation or declare war without consulting parliament. She last granted this power to Margaret Thatcher during the Falklands war.

Whilst people may see some of these points as having little importance, I do not, and taken as a whole, they show the monarchy to be much more than a symbolic irrelevance.

As I said, I would welcome constructive feedback.