British Queen urged to relinquish power because of ill health

The Queen should think about abdicating, Lord Prescott has suggested. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/9950830/The-Queen-should-think-about-retiring-Lord-Prescott-suggests.html

The former Labour deputy Prime Minister said he wanted to pass on concerns from a friend that, at the age of 86, the Monarch was “overburdening” herself and was risking her health by continuing on the throne.

He added that the Queen herself had confessed privately that she was unsure of her own health after her recent illness which left her in hospital.

Lord Prescott, who is a member of the Privy Council which advises the Queen, said: “Even her doctors seem baffled by her illness, with the Queen reportedly telling Kamalesh Sharma, the Commonwealth Secretary General: ‘They’re not sure what’s the matter with me’.”

Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Lord Prescott said that a "straight-talkingYorkie" friend had told him of "his concern ... that the Queen, who is 87 next month, is overburdening herself.

“He felt she had done a remarkable job over her 60 years on the throne but was increasingly concerned at recent cancellations of public duties because of her ongoing ill health.

“My friend noted the monarch would be delivering her 61st Queen’s Speech in May, where she’ll announce her future trips abroad, on top of her many other public duties.



“So he asked me, as a Privy Councillor, to tell her that he didn’t expect her to see out her royal duties as the Queen. She deserves a break and he wouldn’t think less of her if she stepped down.”

Lord Prescott added: “The point is important as we’ll all become more concerned for the heavy load she continues to carry as Head of State.

“She has given wise counsel to 12 Prime Ministers, from Churchill to Cameron, and has made her mark on the country she loves.

"I’m not sure whether the Queen reads the Sunday Mirror, or indeed my column. But if you do, Ma’am, I thought I’d pass on my friend’s concern.

“He feels you have done so much for the UK and the Commonwealth that you deserve to break convention and consider enjoying a long and fulfilling retirement.”

However Tory MPs said the Queen should ignore Lord Prescott’s advice. Mark Field MP said: “I think it is inappropriate for anyone in politics to speculate on the Monarch’s health.

"What is clear is that she is very capable of handling a very big schedule. “Under no circumstances will we see the Queen abdicate. It would undermine the very principle of monarchy. She continues to do a fantastic job.”

George Freeman MP said: “God save us. Never has this poor nation been more in need of the Queen’s quiet and understated wisdom, leadership and tireless public duty.

“After a decade of Blair and Prescott’s ‘get rich quick’ cronyism, Her Majesty The Queen’s reign is one of the few things in Britain the public still trust and have confidence in. May she long reign over us.”

Conor Burns MP added: “John Prescott is the antithesis of the Queen. She is a model of selfless public service and duty. He is frittering away any last vestiges of dignity his career had with these sort of pig ignorant comments. Luckily for Her subjects I'm sure the Queen will ignore his silly advice.”
Robert Buckland MP added: “Lord Prescott fails to remember that the Queen took an oath to serve for the rest of her life.

“It was an abdication that put her in direct line to theThrone, so I do not think that this is viewed by her as an option. Stop speculating and let her get on with the job.”

Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "The Queen is anointed our Sovereign for life. It is a vocation not a job. Lord Prescott should remember his oath as a Privy Counsellor and as a peer."

The Queen said on her 21st birthday that she regarded ruling Britain as a job for life. Buckingham Palace declined to comment this morning.