Summary
- Five expert panellists discussed whether the UK still needs a monarchy in a debate hosted by the Today programme on BBC Radio 4
- The discussion came ahead of King Charles III’s coronation on 6 May
- Joining presenter Mishal Husain were panellists Charles Moore, Prof Jason Arday, Polly Toynbee, Billy Bragg and Juliet Samuel
- Arday was of the view that there is no need for a monarchy in this day and age, while Toynbee argued the monarchy is a symbol of the UK’s inequality
- But Moore disagreed, stating that the monarchy “is a guarantee of legitimacy”
- A recent YouGov opinion poll commissioned by BBC Panorama suggests 58% of the UK population supports keeping the monarchy
- But the poll also indicates that the monarchy is less appealing to younger people
