Bush's Security on visit to Buckingham Palace

[The Gaffer]

Originally posted by Eärniel
If I was writing in Dutch I would say something about getting old cows out of the ditch, but I doubt that has the same meaning in English.

ROTFL!

Some much-needed perspective on the thread. You know we're in trouble when people start posting extracts of the US Constitution.

Just as a matter of interest, how would you say it in Dutch?

Oh, and btw, the Queen has no power at all in the UK.

In theory, as Head of State, she "invites" the leader of the biggest party in Parliament to form the government, and she also convenes Parliament, but she is only allowed to do what the Government in turn "invites" her to do. It's all very civilised and executed over cups of tea in the drawing rooms of power.

She's also head of state of a bunch of Commonwealth countries (Australia, [not sure about Canada: did they vote to change it recently?], Jamaica, etc).

In theory, she could refuse to approve a Government, but there's the Parliament Act which can be invoked (which asserts Parliament's supremacy over the Crown and also limits the House of Lords' ability to block legislation).