NationStates Jolt Archive

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Alistair Tetley watched in fascination as the small meal pendulum on his metronome swung back and forth and back again. He had been unable to sleep, campaigning was now officially over and in but a few minutes, the first polls would open in cities such as North Shores, Mariton, Churchill, and even Imperium. Outside the brick walls of the Citadel, the capital awoke to an inordinately dreary day, grey waterlogged clouds hung low over the capital as a cold front began to push across the Home Islands from the west—by evening the clouds would burst and a deluge of torrential rain would wash the streets of any posters and pamphlets left laying about outside polling stations. It would be nothing short of a cliché renewal and rebirth. At that, Tetley allowed himself a slight smile.

Over the previous two weeks, the contest between his own Democratic Socialists and the Conservatives had largely focused on the growing insurgencies in New London and New Albion where the body counts continued to rise. It was not, however, the fact of the increasing numbers but the escalating rapidity with which they rose. What had been one or two a week had become eleven to twelve as it was no longer troops being sniped at, but armoured vehicles and utility vehicles targeted by mines and explosives.

In the Marquess of Salisbury’s mind, the options were few. His best, at least as he saw it, was to reverse the phased withdrawal that had been underway and reinforce the units on the islands as well as increase the creation of local guard units drawn from the population. The Tories, however, advocated surrender—and it frightened Tetley that a significant portion of the Oceanian populace supported such a move. They, of course, branded their package not as surrender but rather an ‘all-encompassing multi-faceted process’ that would arrive at an acceptable ‘political solution’ for all parties involved. Tetley read it as nothing short of the dismemberment of the Oceanian Empire to secure but a few votes for a few MPs.

It had not helped, of course, that the bombings in New Albion had taken senior figures from the Hamptonian government—a nation with whom the United Kingdom was practically allied, except for the small issue of formal relations, which did not technically exist. For his part, Tetley welcomed the Hamptonians, but the insurgency had become so dominant in the domestic sphere that for several months foreign policy had taken a well-deserved backseat as Imperium had attempted to rein in her colonies. Sadly, she had yet to succeed.

But perhaps most damaging of all was the recent stumbles of the Oceanian economy. For the first time in years, inflation had risen over two per cent—chiefly because of increasing energy and transport costs. The Tories conveniently blamed global climate change and sought to rectify the problems through ‘sweeping’ changes to the Oceanian economic system. Their leader, Rodney Ingrahm, had proposed antitrust legislation to break up the energy monopolies and liberalise the energy sector while creating a carbon market that would force energy prices up even higher. And so Tetley scratched his head, for he could not figure out why Oceanians were willing to accept new taxes—no pledge to raise taxes had ever before succeeded in Oceanian politics. Perhaps because they had branded them as green and favourable to the environment and the future of this generation’s children? He knew not.

Finally, Tetley pulled himself up from his king-sized bed to quietly push a button that switched off his alarm. He had slept for perhaps an hour or two; the remainder of the night had been spent in contemplation of that pendulum and of more distant affairs. His years as Prime Minister, the surge in economic growth, the expansion if not creation of the empire, military victories, and an expansion of foreign relations apparently meant little. He was perhaps fighting a battle he was destined to lose. The Democratic Socialist Party had ruled since the beginning of not this decade but the previous decade—for almost twenty years members of the Democratic Socialist Party had lived in the Citadel. There was little new for the party to offer other than what had become the status quo.

And as Tetley made his way down to breakfast, he found the headlines of the capital’s leading papers declaring that the Tories had, according to several polls, taken the lead over Tetley’s Democratic Socialists. He put the papers down on the desk and offered a weak smile to the chef. “Just some tea, Anthony, just some tea.”

KBC News Update

With voting underway in the United Kingdom, preliminary exit poll data indicates a rather lacklustre turnout throughout much of the eastern portions of the Home Islands. While polling stations are not yet open in Juristan, the Indian Islands and much of Kingsland, nearly three-quarters of the stations are open in the crucial home countries of Azazia and Novikov, where the bulk of the population of the United Kingdom resides. With the little information available to the KBC, provided by a cooperative effort by the KBC and ITN to provide thorough exit poll data, those voters who have cast their ballots have signaled a slight lead for the Democratic Socialists.

Of course, the slight lead in the eastern portions of the Home Islands is not indicative of any major unforeseen outcome; historically, the eastern islands have been the predominant powerbase of the Democratic Socialist Party with the Conservatives traditionally enjoying much more success in the southern and northern islands home to many Oceanian businesses. The western islands typically vote Democratic Socialist owing to their predominantly unionised status and the traditional support of unions by the DSP.

For the party leadership, the Citadel reports that the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, has departed the capital on a private aircraft and is en route to his home in Salisbury. As a member of the House of Lords, the Prime Minister is not up for re-election himself, but he will instead be supporting the DSP candidate for the Salisbury constituency. Meanwhile, the staff for the Leader of the Opposition has informed the KBC that Mr. Ingrahm has departed the capital via a high-speed rail for his home constituency of Islington, where he is expected to hold his seat against his Democratic Socialist challenger.

KBC News Update

With polling stations in the eastern portions of the Home Islands now closed, election officials have begun to count the ballots. Ultimately one thousand seats are being contested, approximately a third in Novikov with the bulk of the remainder as constituencies in the Home Islands. So far, the preliminary results from the constituencies where polls have closed indicate a slight lead for the Democratic Socialists, this, however, is in line with most projections.

With the closing of polls on New Britain, Paxnova, Rimbaldt, Vulcana and Torvey the KBC will now project that 47 seats can be assigned to the Democratic Socialists with 33 going to the Conservatives, including the Islington constituency of Leader of the Opposition Rodney Ingrahm. 2 seats can also be assigned to the Green Party and a single seat to the Oceanian Communist Party.

In Novikov, where polls have begun to close in and around the cities of Košice and Vyšniy-Voločëk, the elections have been far closer and more difficult to predict. In another hour the polls should be closing in Poldi’sk and then Grozny, Duma, and Loviz. Results thus far, however, indicate that current Premier Milos Borovic’s Liberal Democrat Party will be sending 12 MPs to Imperium while Alexei Gerchinkov’s Yellow Socialist Party will be sending 11 MPs. The new Súzvuk Party will be sending the most, however, with 14 MPs.

[OOC: *tags*

Southeast Asia waves DSP banner.]

KBC News
Tories Trounce Salisbury
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/fbcatholicsfan/HandUponForehead.jpg

With the elections concluded and the ballots counted from across the United Kingdom, Oceanians have broadly rejected the Salisbury administration from Azazia and Juristan to Novikov. Across the entirety of the UK, the Conservatives, under Rodney Ingrahm, managed to take control of 40% of the 1,000 seats and will sit in Parliament with 400 MPs. Lord Salisbury’s Democratic Socialists managed to hold only 260 seats.

Although without an outright majority, the Conservatives are expected to form the next government in coalition with the Novikovian Súzvuk (translated Unison) Party. Before the election, Mr. Ingrahm announced a broad understanding with the leadership of Súzvuk with the understanding they would, if the Conservatives were victorious, form a governing coalition. Since the incorporation of Novikov, the Democratic Socialists have governed with the support of the Liberal Democrats of Novikov, who secured only 76 seats in Parliament to Súzvuk’s 141.

Of note in the elections, the surprising resurgence of the Green Party. In recent elections, the Green Party had lost considerable ground with the Democratic Socialists adopting much of their environmental platform. However, it seems that the more robust environmental plans of the Greens were enough to drag away some support from the Democratic Socialists—while the Green’s broadly left-of-centre platform kept their voters away from the newly ‘green’ Conservatives.

In the five home countries, only two witnessed a continuing majority of Democratic Socialist Support: the Indian Islands two constituencies were held by the Democratic Socialists while in Kingsland, the Democratic Socialists took the seat of Port Melbourne from the Conservatives to take five of seven seats in that home country.

It was, however, the elections in Azazia that nailed the coffin shut on the Salisbury government. Of the 616 seats in the home country, 383, or 62%, are held by the Conservatives as opposed to a weak 252 for the DSP. While only a loss of eight seats from the 260 held by the DSP in the 742-seat House of Commons; the redistricting necessary to include Novikov saw a massive re-proportioning of Oceanian constituencies based upon population. Accordingly, in Kingsland and the Indian Islands dozens of seats were allocated to Azazia, and those seats largely fell into Conservative hands.

Lord Salisbury now faces a Conservative-Súzvuk majority in the House of Commons and will likely be forced to resign, allowing the King to ask Mr. Ingrahm to form the next government of the United Kingdom. In any such government, it is expected that Novikovians from Súzvuk will play an integral part and take key cabinet posts.

from KBC International Online

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/fbcatholicsfan/GeneralElectionResultsJPEG.jpg

KBC News Update

End of an Epoch
Lord Salisbury Resigns

During a meeting with the King this afternoon in Asbury Palace, Lord Salisbury performed his final two duties as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. According to sources within the Royal Household, Lord Salisbury first lent his words and signature to a congratulatory letter sent by the King to the newly elected Grand Archduchess of Hamptonshire, Anne I, and then submitted his resignation in the aftermath of the electoral defeat of the Democratic Socialists.

Shortly after the departure of the Marquess of Salisbury, according to the same sources, the King called for Rodney Ingrahm, leader of the Conservatives, who was then asked to form a government. Negotiations between the Conservatives and their likely coalition partners, Súzvuk, have apparently begun in earnest and are expected to yield a full cabinet by some point later in this week. Thus far, the only individual seemingly assured of a high position within the new cabinet is Gavin Astley, a Conservative and strong ally and rumoured personal friend of Mr. Ingrahm. Analysts expect Mr. Astley to be given the Number 2 position in the government, that of the Chancellor of the Exchequer—appropriate given Mr. Astley’s former history as a financier in the private sphere.

[OOC- What would my government be reasonably expected to know about the Tories? Just so I don't make myself look like an ass when I do my news report... :rolleyes: ]

ooc: centre-right party supporting liberalisation of the few government-controlled industries... i.e. ending subsidies for energy and arms companies, et cetera. They support, broadly, the Oceanic Empire but wish to see political liberalism extended to the colonies... referendums on continuing UK sovereignty in volatile colonies... strengthening the Royal Armed Services... privatising more of the national health system as well as education system... a more balanced foreign policy grounded in practical politics... and to appeal to popular demands, a strong effort to curb carbon emissions and promote green issues.

hope that helps

ooc: centre-right party supporting liberalisation of the few government-controlled industries... i.e. ending subsidies for energy and arms companies, et cetera. They support, broadly, the Oceanic Empire but wish to see political liberalism extended to the colonies... referendums on continuing UK sovereignty in volatile colonies... strengthening the Royal Armed Services... privatising more of the national health system as well as education system... a more balanced foreign policy grounded in practical politics... and to appeal to popular demands, a strong effort to curb carbon emissions and promote green issues.

hope that helps
[OOC: Who is the actual person used as Rodney Ingrahm in the photo? I'd like to know his name for the sake of helping to enhance my media article.]

KBC News Update

Ingrahm Announces Cabinet

After a week of discussions and consultations, Rodney Ingrahm announced this afternoon the makeup of the next government of the United Kingdom, an announcement containing several unexpected appointments. Perhaps most unexpected is the portfolio of Gavin Astley, tipped by many to become Chancellor of the Exchequer, instead, however, former shadow chancellor Rodger Livingstone will take up the position at HM Treasury while Mr. Astley shall head the Foreign Office.

Privately, members of Mr. Astley's staff have informed the KBC that the MP for Southbridge specifically requested the position of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs owing to its 'high profile and continued importance as the United Kingdom expands it presence on the world stage.' Mr. Livingstone is a long-time Tory frontbencher who has survived the leadership of both Daniel Collins and Benjamin Yorke, will now serve as Chancellor for the first time after years of serving as the shadow chancellor.

Another important and unexpected portfolio belongs to Súzvuk's Radovan Noskovic. With the Conservative Party owing much of its governing alliance to the Novikovian political party they had been tipped to receive several key posts, however, the appointment of a former Novikovian submarine commander to the position of First Lord of the Admiralty has created some consternation amongst the senior staff of the Royal Navy. While publicly supportive of the Government, several senior officers have anonymously stated their concern for promoting a senior Novikovian naval officer to the most senior civilian position in the Royal Navy.

Novikovians have also taken the portfolios of Education, Dr. Vladimir Petrov; Arts and Culture, Svetlana Rosinov; Sports and Recreation, Tatiana Ivanov; and nephew of the late former Novikovian Prime Minister Ulyanov, Nikolai Ulyanov, will become Secretary of State for Transport and for Novikov.

In Mr. Ingrahm's attempts to create an apparently unity-style government, incorporating all home countries, the new cabinet will also see Sir Felix Vittorio from Juristan as the Secretary of State for Science and Technology and for Juristan. Arthur King-Calabrius will become Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. From the Indian Islands, no member of the House of Commons will sit--as the home country failed to elect a Conservative Party MP--but will instead be represented by Viscount Nigel Crowe, Secretary of State for the Indian Islands. And from Kingsland, Stephen Donaldson will serve as the Secretary of State for Agriculture and for Kingsland.

Rounding out the senior cabinet positions are Sir Quentin Stirling of Arsenal (Conservative) who will become Secretary of State for Defence; Callum McConnell of Exeter North (Conservative) who will become Secretary of State for the Home Department.

Another surprising revelation is the defection of Sir Thomas Cahill, former Royal Governor of both Novikov and of Juristan, from the Democratic Socialists to the Conservatives. While Sir Cahill did not run for Parliament, he has been nominated by Prime Minister Ingrahm for a peerage and upon being created Viscount Cahill he will serve as the Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs.

Less surprising, but still noteworthy, is the appointment of Sir Daniel Barstowe, a leading green-economist from Eddington, who won his seat as a member of the Green Party but who will sit in Mr. Ingrahm's cabinet. The move will likely placate the Green Party sufficiently so to assure their key votes on any environmental votes that may seen Tory hardliners moving away from their Prime Minister.

Filling out the remainder of the government will be Kevin Ranstead (Conservative) of Trentford who will become Leader of the House of Commons; Dame Elizabeth Juliet-Smith (Conservative) of Ulston as Lord Chancellor; Baroness Judith McNought (Conservative) of Ripstowe as Lord President of the Council; Sir Cyril Tavistock (Conservative) of Halington as Lord Privy Seal; Earl James McAllister (Conservative) of Axcliffe as Leader of the House of Lords; and Gregory Hunt (Conservative) of Vineland-Olsen as Secretary of State for Housing and Infrastructure and for Azazia.

To: Rodney Ingrahm, Prime Minister, United Kingdom of Oceania
From: Joshua Lin Cheuk Kitt, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Union of Southeast Asian Nations
Subject: Warm regards from the Union of Southeast Asian Nations

Dear Prime Minister Rodney Ingrahm,

On the behalf of the Executive Cabinet of the Federal-Parliamentarian Government of the Union of Southeast Asian Nations and the other honorable and esteemed members of the voices and the representatives of the people of Southeast Asia, I send to you, your intimate associates and all in the United Kingdom, my warmest congratulations about your victory in the Oceanian General Elections of 2007.

The Lord Marquess of Salisbury and preceding Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Oceania was a great leader, and many Southeast Asians hold respect for him...but in spite of political differences between you and your predeccessor it is believed that Oceanian-Southeast Asian ties can nevertheless advance and prosper. It is a victory regardless of who became the victor, for the people of the United Kingdom of Oceania, for it is a sign that liberal democracy has remained paramount in the United Kingdom of Oceania and a role-model for others in the democratic process as well.

Once again Prime Minister Rodney Ingrahm, congratulations on your election victory. It is an honor to be in contact with the leader of a country that is most worthy of respect and admiration. I hope that you respond as soon as you can, and that we can make frequent exchanges, in order to make progress greater and faster for the relationship between the United Kingdom of Oceania and the Union of Southeast Asian Nations, if not to a brighter future for the Southeast Asian, Oceanian and international, communities.

Yours Sincerely,
His Excellency,
Joshua Lin Cheuk Kitt
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Union of Southeast Asian Nations

[OOC: Urgh, a bit late thanks to RL issues, but better late than never!]