Commonwealth future

In the years since the British Commonwealth dropped the ‘‘British’’ bit in 1949, two people have held the title of Head of the Commonwealth: George VI until 1952 and Elizabeth II until now. The world has changed out of recognition in that time, and the Commonwealth with it. The Queen, though, has been a constant. She has carried out her role assiduously. But the title is not hereditary.

So, what should happen next? The question is being asked, discreetly and decorously, in London this week as part of a review by a group of Commonwealth officials and former ministers. It is a sensible exercise in succession planning, particularly important for an organisation that has been embodied for so long by one person, but which has itself undergone transformative evolution during those years.

Traditionalists will still favour the future King Charles III. But the 21st-century Commonwealth can do better. It needs a new kind of head, with leadership skills, global appeal, multicultural sensitivities and the ability to embody the Commonwealth’s immense power for good in new times. There is no legal need for the head to be from the Commonwealth itself. The member nations can pick anyone they wish, providing they can reach consensus. We have, therefore, a suggestion of our own. The next head of the Commonwealth should be Barack Obama.