The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
London is decking up to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee which marks 70 years of her reign. Amongst the celebrations of lemon trifles such as the Platinum Pudding, street parties across the country, and the promise of a pageant in London, it is imperative to pause and think about the social implications of these extravagant celebrations. Details of the Queen's celebrations are being released in stages with the government funding approximately £28 million in honour of the richest individuals in the country. Although it is unclear how much of the taxpayer’s money is going into the Jubilee celebrations, it is clear that this amount would be better spent on providing for people to feed their families and heat their homes. The lavish spendings are an appalling reminder of the poverty that some residents have to face in their daily lives. It may be seen as just another marketing gimmick for supermarkets to cash in on Britain’s enthusiastic patriotism to the monarchy.
At a time of “unprecedented cost” of the living crisis, using public money to mark the anniversary could be viewed as a skewed priority. While people are grappling with the effects of this crisis by having to choose between heating and eating, public money is being spent on profligate activities. The cost of living crisis has made life much more expensive for the poorest of people, with many having to rely on food banks. Since the first year of the pandemic, the number of food parcels needed has increased drastically in numbers. According to Universal Credit, 4 in 10 families are experiencing food scarcity especially since the government removed the £20 Universal Credit Uplift. Exorbitant spendings on big celebrations may also lead to an excessive amount of wastage, which is usually overlooked. To be seeing councils debating on the issue of the use of public money at a time like this sheds light on the sufferings of people under the Tory rule.
An extra long bank holiday weekend does not act as a distraction from the fact that many are sinking into poverty and hardship. Although this celebration is an occasion to bring people together, is it worth the cost at which it is done? It is nothing but a mere display of the people who are privileged enough to celebrate this while some others may not enjoy the same privileges. Even though this Jubilee celebration may be a symbol of wealth and privilege for most parts of Britain, it is also a glorification of their poverty at the same time. Some may believe that there is nothing wrong with spending public money to celebrate the Queen since she brings a lot of money into the country, however this hints at the uncomfortable past of the British empire.
An ugly truth is that it exposes the existence of a monarchy, whilst some may want to raise a glass to the Queen, to others it is a glaring remembrance of colonialism. With the previous devastation and many atrocities caused by the British Empire across the world, it comes as no surprise that not everyone would regard this as a reason to celebrate. Whilst some countries have made some serious attempts to acknowledge their past wrongs, Britain has done nothing of the sort. The inability of Britain to admit to its colonial past is emphasised by the fact this history is barely even taught in schools. The Queen is a representation of the institution, an institution that would not exist in its current form had it not been for the colonial nature of the British empire. Hence it is understandable why some people might not be eager to join in on the Queen’s tea party and would rather view this as an unnecessary parade.