NationStates Jolt Archive

UK torn in a world gone backwards

Prime Minister John Bull and his soft-left British Industrial Democratic Party were swept to power by a British public tired of obscurity and of bending in European/American/corporate winds. Bull had swept up most of the traditional Labour vote, done in the socialists, looked more credible than the Liberals, and taken just barely enough out of the Tories to see himself into a position of almost unprecedented strength and universal support. He’d promised his decimated electorate a return to the world stage, a new industrial revolution after the outsourcing of so much obvious strength, a determined independence in international diplomacy, and a progressive socially conscious undertone throughout.

Much had been achieved. The upsurge of “Islamophobia” had been stemmed as London abruptly abandoned perceived anti-Arab commitments and distanced itself from Washington, smacking a great hole in the economy and driving many businessmen abroad but dropping the UK off terrorist hit-lists and making new friends abroad and in the domestic and international left.

The problem was that Bull’s popular ideas on individual democratic rights, which brought increased devolution to the UK, also held true over seas. What? This sounds like a good thing? Indeed! But the rest of the world appears to have other ideas. The imperialist age, as Britain learned in her brave but ultimately hopeless attempt to defend the people of New Guinea against Roycelandian annexation, was back with real force. This seemed like bad form! Britannia had relinquished most of her empire by choice and in the name of freedom, and now she stood isolated and disadvantaged for her trouble.

The question was put: should Britannia attempt to recover her imperial glory and influence, or be the bigger...woman and accept that she’d made a sacrifice on good moral grounds?

The first opinion, tendered by Governor of Gibraltar Commander-in-Chief Sir Adam Scarf, was that those moral grounds had been under-cut by foreign 1st and 2nd world powers snapping-up Britain’s leftovers/emancipated children (depending upon what audience he had in mind). It was in the world’s best interests that so many people as possible be returned to the protection of Britannia’s bosom lest they be abused by less civil masters.

The debate raged on even as BID struggled to rebuild an economy shattered by mass emigration. Small demonstrations turned out to express horror at the idea of a return to imperialist ways, loyalists began to plot for their part in the reunification of Ireland under British rule,

(OOC: These debates are going on in the public realm on various magazines and talk-shows on the BBC and in Parliament, as well as the streets of the UK; other nations will be quite aware of the rising tide in Britain. I don’t mind if other players, particularly Britons, wish to respond as a subject of HRH Queen Elizabeth III (created so as to avoid speaking for any real person and perhaps slandering them :) ) writing to a local paper or to their MP, for example, or as their own national government expressing support/concern or whatever else. As for my nation state, yes, it is the UK dropped into an NS world, and the 55million fall in population was explained by the emigration of Britons to found many of the British-origin states out there. Now that the population is back past real life levels I’m almost freezing it at just over 60 million, despite the disadvantage at which it might place me. A challenge is more fun, eh?)

Forwarded by the Noviet Congress to the Prime Minister’s Office

This is the kind of action and ideal we were worried about when we decided to refrain from entering full membership in the commonwealth. As we suspected, and feared, the overtures of peaceable association were merely the ties which we now find affixed to the anchor that is imperialism. With circumstances as they are at present we are now taking this opportunity to formally reject your invitation to the British Commonwealth and iterate the fact that we would frown upon the forcible induction of member states into any organization. We will of course leave your domestic decisions to your own democratic process but would appreciate an airing of our grievances in the House of Commons.

Discrete and private enquiry by the Eôsphoros of the NNAO

While Ireland seems an obvious target I’d appreciate a plausible ‘future colony list’ with special emphasis placed on the pacific, for personal reasons.

A small group of reporters stands outside, at a very cold morning, in front of the old Triancian Palace, asking questions of the Executive Branch's press secretary. It's the general fair, mostly questions pretaining to the budget, and the recent slight lowering of the defense's allocation. Finally, the crowd of reporters goes silent, as the press secretary yields the podoium to President Stanton.

He nods to the deaprting woman, "Thanks, Ms. Wilkins, for keeping these rabid beasts at bay." There's a smile from the President, and a smattering of chuckles from the press.

The President grows serious as he gets into his speech. "Ladies and Gentlemen, my purpose here today is to send a messege through you, the press, to the British Federation. Triancia cannot complain that they want to take a roll in global affiars, as that is the objective of all nations, but are concerned at there path toward it. From what we have seen, the British Federation seems to be shirking global commitments, and begining a campaign of nationalistic imperialism, to return lands that are recognized as free nations 'under the Crown', as it were. At this time, this messege is the only thing Triancia will do about this situation. However, we will be watching the conduct of the Federation closely, and hope that they will respect the soverignty and freedom of all nations."

The President answers a number of other question, ranging from Triancia's new Inter-province highway system, to the proposed inditment of New Haven Systems' CEO. After a bit, the President thanks the Press Corps, and takes his leave, while the press shuffle out, rushing to there cars to get the story out first.

In response to contact by Nova Hope, PM John Bull has sent of his commitment to democracy and freedom. Much ambling rhetoric accompanied the message as Bull tried to emphasise his peaceful, industrial, socialist ideals.
The next item on his agenda, meanwhile, was a 0.5% increase to the defence budget, allowing for the continued production of properly-fitted Type 45 Destroyers rather than the weakened versions planned under the previous administration. Bull was caught between espousing peaceful progress on the one hand, and pouring millions into the project that would again give Britain some of the world's finest warships. Frankly, his increasingly industrially-based economy seriously needed the boost.

As to the private inquiry, well... Bull's policy of increased devolution had for a time quelled republican sentiment in Ireland... what did people have to complain about when the six counties more or less looked after their own affairs? Anyone protesting now was clearly in it only for his own profit, and as such became unpopular. This had outed a number of die-hard anti-unionist agitators and lead to their arrest by the British... and this in turn had revitalised Republican sentiment. It was rumoured in high circles that Bull should like to finish the Irish problem with a major operation, but equally, it was retorted, the Republic offered minimal tactical gain beyond its own shores. It seemed more likely, to some, that London would be interested in Malta, the Suez, Singapore, and the Cape. Hong Kong was oft mentioned, but who really wanted to fight a nation twenty times one's size? Bull had proved a savvy politician, and many supposed him to be a significant general, too, and well focused on strategy above prestige. The man was certainly forceful, if nothing else, and though the PM had limited official sway over the armed forces, nothing could be counted out with this Union Flag-waistcoat-wearing, ale swilling, cricket playing celebrity of a governmental leader.

Much of the British media meanwhile had taken a similar line to their Triancian opposites, with companies doing their best to out-sensationalise one another with comic portrayals of Bull as a fat beef-eating, globe-riding imperialist. Punch Magazine was back, and giving Private Eye a run for its money, it seemed.
Some more serious outlets recognised the PM's difficult situation. He honestly hadn't been the one to first incite this new imperialist sentiment... Bull had bumped-up taxes on the rich and done wonders for the NHS, the education system, and even for public transport. He was clearing out run-down council estates and providing civilised housing, in spite of the cost. It seemed that the pressure he'd laid on the elite was in fact driving the media-backlash against him.

There was already a lottery-funded film in production over Britain's brave but futile attempt to protect New Guinea from Roycelandian imperialism. For giving his support to the production, Bull had only managed to incite accusations of corruption and self-glorification.

Still, nothing had yet seriously dented the pro-empire lobby. Bull was quietly doing his best to negotiate the placement of major Royal Navy bases about The Commonwealth in an effort to placate those worried about Britain's influence and the world's freedom.