Is the Commonwealth still relevant?

You may have heard of it - but do you really know what the Commonwealth is?
Even some of the people living in member nations don't know what it does or why. Is it relevant in the 21st century?
Does it just provide a helping hand for developing nations or could it become a more powerful player on the world stage?
Joining us at the Roundtable is David Martin Jones, Visiting Professor in the War Studies Department of King's College London; Rita Payne, the Chair of the UK branch of the Commonwealth Journalists Association; Kehinde Andrews, Associate Professor of Sociology and Black Studies at Birmingham City University; and Humphrey Hawksley, author and former foreign correspondent for the BBC.
Roundtable is a discussion programme with an edge. Broadcast out of London and presented by David Foster, it's about bringing people to the table, listening to every opinion, and analysing every point of view. From fierce debate to reflective thinking, Roundtable discussions offer a different perspective on the issues that matter to you. Watch it every weekday at 15:30 GMT on TRT World.

[@juliettegabriele4774]

I just watched this in order to write an essay for school and I just wanted to point out how nice it is to listen to a debate where everybody is polite and listen to one another with sympathy even over disagreements :) thanks for that !

[@warlock1969]

You may want to add how the United Kingdom Government are in breach of the Charter, the UK are the head of the Commonwealth yet they do not respect the Charter's values.

[@courtneywalcott513]

@@warlock1969 can you elaborate?

[@warlock1969]

@@courtneywalcott513 the United Kingdom Government have been investigated by the United Nations numerous times for violating disability rights and causing poverty, the reports were damning, we also have the Windrush scandal. There is also the lack of transparency no respect for the rule of law, severe human rights violations. I have recently reported the Government to the International Criminal Court for violating Article 7 of the Rome Statute and International Criminal Courts Act 2001 schedule 8 - crimes against humanity. The Government are tyrannical. Absolutely disgraceful conduct of the head of the Commonwealth.

[@richardring272]

Most people don't know that the Queen is also Queen of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica etc

[@valve6642]

👏🏼👏🏼Kehinde Andrews

[@blacknationalismandunity4838]

This presenter barley let Kehinde speak what a joke of debate.

[@richardring272]

The Commonwealth IS the residue of the British Empire and the Queen was Head of State of most Commonwealth states once but now most are republics. The position of The Crown in the Commonwealth needs to be discussed. It was a symbol that held it together. Are we going to go on having the British monarch as its Head? If we lose the Crown in the Commonwealth then what is the glue holding it together?

[@frankie7529]

It's a paradox. Keep the British monarch as the head and the organisation is an anachronism. Remove the monarchy and like you say, you have removed the glue. I think you need to keep the monarch as the symbolic head at least.

[@casscamden740]

the queen was is also defender of the faith & that faith isnt muslim or hindu or jewish ...its christian but that hasnt stopped thousands of temples being built in this country

[@oneileo66]

Trending Topic Now

[@ninarosado618]

With no prenup

[@oneileo66]

Four years later today ,the Queen Elizabeth 2 👑 is dead and Charles 3 is now King.

[@jammiedodger7040]

The Commonwealth should become a trade union and Also Be a Commonwealth military because in the future the United States will not be able to help us so if there was a Commonwealth military we could stand up for ourselves and make the pound the Commonwealth currency maybe even in the future become one Country that is ruled by the crown and there would be a New parliament in London with one member from each country

[@kimeli]

why would any country want to be ruled by another?

[@shacabweynaha801]

@@kimeli exctly what was the point indepedence🤣

[@newton6936]

Keep dreaming 😆

[@casscamden740]

i really dont want britain ruling anywhere but britain , britain is already in ruins thanks to multiculturalism

[@jammiedodger7040]

@@casscamden740 Anglosphere countries share a common culture/language/history/traditions/religion

[@bindhusuresh2465]

Ante hrudhaya thudipil jeevikunna e prapanjam poley Alla hrudhayagalum onnu chernu namukkonnu cheram othorumayode munnottu povam

[@Stand663]

I don’t know why these panelist are moaning about the commonwealth. It’s a free association of equal member states. They can leave or stay. It’s entirely their choice. It’s not like the Eu where a country will be threatened and a economic bill will be presented if they choose to democratically leave etc etc

[@andersonfarray5463]

They are responsible as heads for the migration of our ancestors and the Queen needs to know that Grenada and all the other Commonwealth countries are poorly developed due to how people have been abandoned and without universities, hospitals, and development for the unemployed Grenadaindians. These tasks cannot be done without the help of Europeans and the English that started slavery before and after the the1800s. Up to now, they act with no care and consideration for the people waiting to be free to have the rights of free movements anywhere in England, the EU, and The USA. Look how small the population of Grenada is and look how small the island is, this size means that the island is too small to develop a super economy and the only development on small islands like Grenada is only healthcare with doctors and professors from all over the world to teach, grow food and develop the unification of the Commonwealth for the oneness of the people.

[@Valencetheshireman927]

The Europeans didn’t start slavery in fact they were the first ones to abolish it.

[@alithienarrowwood2321]

Bro let me keep it a buff.1 Are Grenada's leadership starving like the people? No in the Commonwealth is ceremonial for the peoples of former colonies. Should they impliment clear cut goals, it'll look like the white man came back. 2 How common is corruption in the Grenada's government. 3 Have you forgotten what the Commonwealth is? They aren't the European Union. Should they resemble it in the slightest, keeping in check the leaders of it's member states it'd only be seen as another Western Domineering Power. Pushing it's less developed nations out. 4 You cannot have entire nations rely on the "goodwill" of Europeans to rebuild their nations. When Rome finally fell, Byzantium rebuilt, when Byzantium finally fell, Athens rebuilt. No one told the Turks they have to repay the peoples they oppressed via "goodwill". No one told the Russians they must repay mongolia for past oppressions.5 If britain establishes any powers beyond Europe the EU will do everything in their power to politically and economically punish the UK. BTW what migration of our ancestors? Many peoples from the commonwealth illegally enter Europe anyway nowadays.

[@joykensen]

"everything they eat has plastic in it??" what does she meant?

[@killerkoffee4619]

Sea plastic, small waste that accumulates over time and washes up on the beaches of small islands

[@sbls1114]

Microplatics, from the ocean

[@Oyzatt]

Most of what you eat today have plastic in it

[@nevilleanitelea1372]

Sorry the black guy has a big chip on his shoulder. He’s the wrong person to have at the Roundtable. He has grievance and it wasn’t that forum.

[@BlatentlyFakeName]

He seems to no idea what the Commonwealth actually does. Just rambling on about the same crap he read on social media or something.

[@farrightsocialistatheist845]

Media love jokers

[@andrewvoya5234]

100% agree with you. Not only a chip but also unable to move on even for the discussions sake from his own narrative. Like a broken record. I find these types annoying. He is clearly educated in a “ British” system, took all that he could get, is quite possibly half British himself, and yet seems to dispute and despise anything commonwealth, colonial or British. I just don’t understand this type of mindset. I just wonder if it’s , envy or greed or inferiority complex ?

[@lovewhoGODmademe2B]

I don’t share this perspective. He’s simply driving his points and it’s clear too much talking and no clear objective of what the heck the commonwealth is. It’s seems poorer countries join for basic necessities hand outs after being stripped by their abuser!

[@philipp2202]

lol they do not kill each other in a political discussion?

[@ninarosado618]

He wouldve been the richest person in jail

[@simongarthwaite7695]

No the British Monarchy should be there to represent British interests and British people not all these others.

[@jacquelinegray9011]

The question should be, is the Queen still relevant to the Commonwealth nations? The answer is a resounding NO!

[@mimi_vqzx7377]

why?

[@richardring272]

Instead of being rude about the Queen think about this. The Crown and its future relationship with the Commonwealth needs to be discussed.

[@Valencetheshireman927]

@jersey devil You don’t seem to know anything about her.

[@ninarosado618]

Apparently because some man that wouldve been my husband if successful was gonna kill the whole family at breakfast because im literally dying and screaming me for help

[@casscamden740]

what?

[@specialandroid1603]

Commonwealth is an old colonial idea that is well past its sell by date

[@commonsenserevolutionx1053]

Not very relevant anymore, should be disbanded. It was Britain’s way of getting out of empire without upsetting former colonies. Interestingly, with UK leaving EU, some Brit politicians “think” UK can fall back on Commonwealth as a trading bloc. This ship sailed back in the 1950s, UK should have stayed in EU. The only two countries with big economies is UK and Canada both in the G7. Canada won’t be interested in trading with so many smaller markets, they are US biggest trading partner and have North American deal along with Mexico. You don’t trade down! Yes Commonwealth is irrelevant should just end.

[@raysummers2075]

If one has war by another country thats not part of the commonwealth then they could run into big issues lol

[@Tadeletad]

in the "God save the queen" book page 112, commonwealth means protectorate. the commoners are not Jews. common means cursed and not qosher(read the KJV bible). so, the Blacks were colonizing the British natives by looking like them. they look like whites but were black but through race mixing they become whites. this people have different names. they are called Jews, gypsies, Aryans, Caucasians, Basques, Slavic, KKK, KGB, CIA, etc. The old name of "USA" will be Canada. Before the cheating and betrayal, the USA, Canada, Australia and newzland had no people and are not common wealth. but were like the main land only the place of an English man. Even the native tribes likes red Indians, the Australian aboriginals, etc will be black and Asian and race mixed to look like the native of an american. when you read History book, if the queen or the king come from another country, they are one of these people(Jew, gypsy(Roma), Aryan, Caucasian, Basque, KKK, KGB, CIA, etc

[@emmmoo8631]

commonwealth= part of N.W.O plan

[@mandyogilvie686]

148 like

[@ninarosado618]

😂😂

[@prabakrankathirvel6768]

Olembc next time Comanche ICC int spot afruval Can out of know Human to mach pl

[@diegomoreno5927]

The queen should regulate the capitalism in the world. And guess what? I am a left-wing thinker. How do you explain that?

[@chefsoni7524]

Its where Britain still trying to rule over them

[@suryateja1713]

Nope, atleast not in South Africa and India.

[@chefsoni7524]

@@suryateja1713 its like rubbing it in our face and telling us to come to the table when we call you sort of thing.

[@nottherey4333]

Maybe in the past but now it is just about tradition and bringing people together.

[@chefsoni7524]

@@nottherey4333 nope thats who they are.

[@Valencetheshireman927]

@@chefsoni7524 It’s about promoting democracy and close ties to each other hence why countries that weren’t ever British colonies have joined.

[@sharadjain2463]

Commonwealth nations has bigger economy and military and nuclears and population than their boss Britain 😁😁😁

[@sharadjain2463]

@Techstorm 123 Britain has arrogance and Boasts about their colonial empire but now it is small island. But they don't have courage to teach about colonial history to their people what atrocities they have done to so many countries for 200 years.

[@sharadjain2463]

@Techstorm 123 Commonwealth countries have bigger economy, more rich, more billionaires, millionaires, far advanced in Space, industries, companies, more land area, diversity, population, Nuclear power and many more than Britain .

[@sharadjain2463]

@@earthalien2584 do you teach British Empire history ? You are not apologisic for your past and even not returning stolen artifacts to the colonies, You can flaunt loot in your British museum as you have habit and can feel proud of Killing, massacre, loot and destruction. India's economy is growing we will be 3rd largest in the world in next 5 -6 ,years. While Britain's power is declining.

[@Valencetheshireman927]

@@sharadjain2463 Britain is the richest country in the entire Commonwealth.

[@Valencetheshireman927]

@@sharadjain2463 Britain can’t spend its entire time apologising for things that happened centuries ago. If that was the case we’d all be apologising for the things our ancestors did.

[@drewastolfi6840]

Should the US join? We are a former colony.

[@Valencetheshireman927]

You could do but I don’t think Americans understand what the Commonwealth is which is a shame.

[@Valencetheshireman927]

Anyone can join, multiple member states were never British colonies

[@ProtocolAbyss]

Technically you can, but the country mist vote on wether or not the should.

[@gabbar51ngh]

That's because USA is too powerful to join commonwealth. It's not really relevant anymore.

[@gabbar51ngh]

@@Valencetheshireman927 UK should join USA as 51st state instead.

[@willyhwang1059]

that guy is full of negativity.