Martin Kettle explores the history of the ban on discussions about the royal family in parliament and advances reasons why this is no longer legitimate in the modern relationship between the monarch and parliament (Why is parliament still banning itself from talking about the monarchy?, 25 January). He does not refer, however, to the most important reason why this ban should be removed.
It is that, in constitutional law, the legislative process culminates in the royal assent given to a parliamentary bill that transforms it into an act of parliament. Over the past year the Guardian has revealed a hidden stage in the legislative process whereby some bills, prior to their submission to parliament, are sent to the monarch for their “consent”.
