Pomp and Policy  

Today is the State Opening of Parliament.   I am going to admit that it is a day I always enjoy. Ok I accept, this year's isn't the Queen's Speech that I would have wished for (it's not Her Majesty's fault, she didn't vote for this lot either), but in my opinion, a bit of pomp and ceremony is what we do best, and it does no harm at all once a year. To some, I imagine the spectacle of the Monarch travelling from Buckingham Palace to Westminster in the State Coach, with the Crown Jewels in tow, is irrelevant or even a complete anathema.  But I still think this ceremony serves a real purpose in the 21st century. Firstly, whether we like it or not, it reminds us all that we do live in a Monarchy, and Queen Elizabeth II is our Sovereign.  The State Opening is also the one time that all three branches of government come together under one roof. It further reminds us...