Queen Opens Parliament

Queen Elizabeth II opened the British Parliament in an ornate ceremony last week,but most Americans only got to see it tonight,when C-Span broadcast the old ritual.It's a moment for the bickering to stop,for Members of Parliament to pause and reflect-indeed,for the whole nation to do so.That is much of the meaning of the monarchy today.As the pageantry plays out,memories are made and recalled,and the pace of modern life is radically slowed by tradition for a brief few hours.The Lord High Chancellor and the Duke of Norfolk,the Earl Marshal of England,are among the participants in the stylized tribute to constitutional government.
One of the MPs made a wisecrack when an official summoned them to the House of Lords to hear the Queen's speech,but no one took great offence.It was perhaps a way to assert the supremacy of the House of Commons in reality.The ceremony went on despite a bit of laughter.

Special Access:With the Prime Minister

Speaking with the British Liaison Committee of the House of Commons,Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the off-balance sheet activities of some banks,and the writedowns that are taking place,should never have happened.There are reforms to the financial system that are necessary,such as improved transparency,improved bond rating agencies,and a better system of global supervision of the financial flows of multinational firms.We've got no proper early warning system for the world economy.We need to be better at dealing with financial stability at a global level.Action has already been taken to improve the flow of money by the Bank of England,which has injected funds into the system.