It is refreshing to see Mr Denton-White turn away from Brexit and our voting system to shake his fist at presumably another pet hate, the monarchy (Letters 18 Feb).

I am not sure I would consider The Guardian as an impartial commentator on that institution but of course Richard is fully entitled to have his republican views bolstered by it.

His point is that the monarchy is past its sell by date and in some way inimical to democracy.

I cannot see how he reaches that conclusion.

I happen to be a firm supporter of constitutional monarchy and it is significant that some of the most stable democracies, particularly in northern Europe, are likewise constitutional monarchies.

One only has to look at the wider world beyond Europe to see so-called democratic republics where dictatorships in all but name, government corruption, thuggery and serious violence are the norm.

He puts forward no strong argument to say how the abolition of the monarchy would in some magical way make us more democratic.

Mr Denton-White might feel better but that is not the same thing at all.

Strangely enough one could make a case for saying that to all intents and purposes we are a republic, which just happens to have a constitutional monarch as head of state.

I think Richard would be more profitably occupied questioning the calibre of our politicians (not good), political parties, Parliament and the apparatus of government generally.

How they function (or don’t) is a far greater weakness in our democracy than the monarchy.

All in all I think Mr Denton-White should be relieved to be a subject of Her Majesty!

RICHARD SAMWAYS

Portland