One of the striking features of Britain’s unwritten constitution is how it relies on various people keeping their opinions to themselves. The monarch, the Speaker of the House of Commons and senior judges must all avoid expressing political views in public – or even in what one might call semi-private. It’s not their right to remain silent; it’s their responsibility.
The royal family is expected to stay out of politics from birth, the Speaker is an MP who puts aside partisanship when he or she is dragged to the chair, and judges must show that they are applying the law, not advancing their own agenda. Any appearance of partiality is toxic, calling into question either their own survival or that of the office they hold. Yet all three groups are currently struggling with this responsibility to remain silent.
It is a cliché to say that the Queen has successfully stayed above politics, but it is also true.
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