"A Very British Transition" - A Post-Junta Britain TL

[saltburn861]

The House of Lords was abolished under the Cardiff Accords to be replaced by the Senate. The Senate is an extremely limited upper house seen to represent the provinces of Britain. Each province gets 4 elected seats in the Senate as a baseline, with the other 134 elected seats distributed proportionally. Furthermore, a further 71 seats are directly appointed by provincial legislatures with the larger provinces getting two appointed seats and the smaller provinces getting one.

The Senate has less power than the Commons. it can veto legislation, but its veto can be overturned by an absolute majority in the Commons. Its only exclusive power concerns the provinces, in line with its nature of "provincial representation". By a majority, the Senate decides on arbitrations between National and Provincial Governments. It is the only body able to adopt measures to enforce a province's compliance if it is seen to have failed its constitutional duties.

During the Junta years, Britain was divided into 40 administrative zones, mostly combining two or three smaller counties together into mega-counties. these have been reformed into provinces with legislatures and powers roughly equal to the powers of OTL devolved administrations. Keeping the provinces has been controversial especially with the separatists as both Scotland and Wales have been balkanized into different provinces, the SNP, Plaid and RISE call campaign for unified single Parliaments for their nations. The provinces are as follows:

• Bedfordshire
• Berkshire
• Cheshire
• Cornwall
• Cumbria
• Derbyshire
• Devon
• Dorset
• East Anglia
• East Wales
• East Yorkshire
• Eastern Scotland
• Essex
• Gloucestershire
• Greater Manchester
• Hampshire
• Herefordshire
• Highlands and Islands
• Inner London – East
• Inner London – West
• Kent
• Lancashire
• Leicestershire
• Lincolnshire
• Merseyside
• North Eastern Scotland
• North Yorkshire
• Northern Ireland
• Northumberland
• Outer London – East
• Outer London – South
• Outer London – West
• Shropshire
• South Western Scotland
• South Yorkshire
• Surrey
• Tees Valley
• West Midlands (county)
• West Wales
• West Yorkshire

ITTL, no such thing as Kirklees, Calderdale, Darlington, Metropolitan Borough of Wigan etc. as local authorities, and electoral wards are very different - so no such thing as Racecourse (Mansfield), Astley Mosley Common (Wigan etc.)?

As for car brands, Ford and Vauxhall still maintain a presence, the Focus and Mondeo selling well, and the Astra and Vectra/Insignia also selling well?

What's the electoral wards like?

 

[powerab]

ITTL, no such thing as Kirklees, Calderdale, Darlington, Metropolitan Borough of Wigan etc. as local authorities, and electoral wards are very different - so no such thing as Racecourse (Mansfield), Astley Mosley Common (Wigan etc.)?

As for car brands, Ford and Vauxhall still maintain a presence, the Focus and Mondeo selling well, and the Astra and Vectra/Insignia also selling well?

What's the electoral wards like?

So most first tier authorities as we know them (country and metropolitan councils) no longer exist, with most of their powers given to provincial parliaments. Instead for local representation 174 borough councils still exist within the UK, they are more powerful than an OLT borough council but less powerful than an OTL first-tier authority (County Council). Kirkless and Calderdale are merged into one council, Darlington still has its own Council, Wigan has been merged with Bolton.

Yes cheaper cars such as Ford and Vauxhall still maintain a presence but more expensive and premium brands are limited to only the most elite.

Electoral wards are split across the 40 provinces, with each ward electing an average of eight MPs. Whilst there is no official electoral threshold, since the constituencies are so small there's effectively a threshold of 10-15%.

 

[saltburn861]

So most first tier authorities as we know them (country and metropolitan councils) no longer exist, with most of their powers given to provincial parliaments. Instead for local representation 174 borough councils still exist within the UK, they are more powerful than an OLT borough council but less powerful than an OTL first-tier authority (County Council). Kirkless and Calderdale are merged into one council, Darlington still has its own Council, Wigan has been merged with Bolton.

Yes cheaper cars such as Ford and Vauxhall still maintain a presence but more expensive and premium brands are limited to only the most elite.

Electoral wards are split across the 40 provinces, with each ward electing an average of eight MPs. Whilst there is no official electoral threshold, since the constituencies are so small there's effectively a threshold of 10-15%.

ITTL, would this be the brands of car available in the United Kingdom:

• Alfa Romeo
• Audi
• BMW
• Chevrolet
• Chrysler
• Citroen
• Dodge
• DS Automobiles (Citroen)
• FIAT
• Ford
• Honda
• Hyundai
• Jaguar
• KIA
• Land Rover
• Lexus
• Mazda
• MG
• Mitsubishi
• Nissan
• Peugeot
• Renault
• Renault Trucks (for 3.5 tonne and over versions of Renault commercial vehicles)
• SEAT
• Subaru
• Suzuki
• Toyota
• Vauxhall
• Volkswagen
• Volvo

 

[Fenrisúlfr]

Loved the latest update.

Talking of David Miliband, what happened to Ralph in this TL?

Also, is the Eastern Scottish parliament in the Old Royal Highschool or somewhere else? Without the 1979 devo ref it won't be such a nationalist totem but maybe it's occupied in TL.

Thinking of Edinburgh, what happens to Danny Boyle in TL? Was Trainspotting still made?

 

[powerab]

Loved the latest update.

Talking of David Miliband, what happened to Ralph in this TL?

Also, is the Eastern Scottish parliament in the Old Royal Highschool or somewhere else? Without the 1979 devo ref it won't be such a nationalist totem but maybe it's occupied in TL.

Thinking of Edinburgh, what happens to Danny Boyle in TL? Was Trainspotting still made?

Ralph, Marion, and 2-year-old David Miliband would flee to the states as Ralph was at the top of the Junta's blacklist. Ralph would get a job at Harvard and both Milibands would be raised in Massachusetts. David would go to work for the Government in Exile in Paris and served as Prime Minister-in-exile Healey's Chief of Staff during the Cardiff Accord negotiations. Miliband would stay in Massachusetts as an academic. Both Miliband children speak with American accents.

Yes the Eastern Scottish parliament is in the Old Royal Highschool.

Danny Boyle worked as an underground filmmaker as his films never made it past the censors, he is not famous, however, he is trying to make it in the new British film landscape. Trainspotting was never made.

 

[Dan1988]

Both Miliband children speak with American accents.

Depending on where in Massachusetts the Milibands end up, though, the accent may not be that far off. Since you mentioned Ralph ends up at Hah-vahd, the Miliband children would probably end up fine as far as their speech is concerned. It wouldn't be stereotypical/working-class Boston, but would still be somewhat typical of the region in its educated registers.

 

[saltburn861]

I'm assuming this is probably what the current car ranges look like ITTL (wrong time possibly, I'm using 2021 but can fix this):

I'm assuming the choice of models is fairly limited for manufacturers ITTL in the United Kingdom
(this was my HTML rendering of a car spec guide).

 

[powerab]

I'm assuming this is probably what the current car ranges look like ITTL (wrong time possibly, I'm using 2021 but can fix this):

I'm assuming the choice of models is fairly limited for manufacturers ITTL in the United Kingdom
(this was my HTML rendering of a car spec guide).

I will confess I know nothing about cars or car history, so I'm happy to take your word for it and make this cannon!

 

[powerab]

The 2005 Eastern Scotland regional election was held on 14 March 2006, to elect the 1st Parliament of Eastern Scotland. All 53 seats in the Parliament were up for election.

This election was called roughly one year after the referendum of 2004 and the ratification of the Cardiff Accords. The Accords further expanded the authority of the Provincial Governments and brought in provincial elections for the first time. The Accords had been ratified in a referendum on 18 June 2004, with roughly 74% Eastern Scottish voters in favour of the new Statute. The referendum was noted for its low turnout in Eastern Scotland, as only 48.9% of all registered voters had cast a vote.

Eastern Scotland was expected to be a battle between two major separatist parties. The radical RISE party led by former SNLA Edinburgh Commander Colin Fox and the centrist Scottish National Party. Loyalist parties were not expected to do well, with National and the SDP fighting to be the largest loyalist party. The campaign was dominated by grievances from the Junta years and sectarian violence.

In the 2005 election RISE emerged as the most popular party both in votes and seats but fell far short of an absolute majority. After coalition negotiations, RISE and the SNP agreed to a broad church separatist coalition under the leadership of Fox. The election also saw a disappointing result for the SDP, coming fourth, despite winning by a landslide on the national level.

 

[Analytical Engine]

I notice that all six leaders are from a very narrow bit of Eastern Scotland. Admittedly, that's where a big chunk of the region's population is, but still..

 

[powerab]

I notice that all six leaders are from a very narrow bit of Eastern Scotland. Admittedly, that's where a big chunk of the region's population is, but still..

Absolutely, but National and the SNP are the only parties with a realistic chance of winning rural Eastern Scotland and both of them happen to have Lothian leaders. It's a coincidence but not an unlikely one

 

[The cravinator]

I was right.... this is shaping up a lot like post-communist Yugoslavia. The only thing keeping them together is that rather than having an English Nationalist Government they have wets, which should mean a few years without civil war for now

 

[aaa]

Was there any sort of Tory opposition to the Mountbatten regime, perhaps from the small-l liberal wing of the Conservatives?

 

[powerab]

Was there any sort of Tory opposition to the Mountbatten regime, perhaps from the small-l liberal wing of the Conservatives?

A few spoke out openly, most notably Alec Douglas-Home, but these were mostly older Tories at the end of their careers with nothing left to lose. Some like Peter Carrington or William Whitelaw had there doubts privately but kept their heads down expecting it all to "blow over"

 

[Ozer]

Does Northern Ireland still have any major moderate parties like the SDLP or an anti-junta unionist party? Or have the more radical groups cemented control of their respective demographics?

 

[powerab]

Does Northern Ireland still have any major moderate parties like the SDLP or an anti-junta unionist party? Or have the more radical groups cemented control of their respective demographics?

The SDLP is the only moderate independent national party, with most moderate unioinsts voting National with some voting for the very small Ulster Liberals, the Northern Irish branch of Ecology operates cross-community. There is also the Ulster Conservatives (no connection to the disbanded British Conservatives) of radical Unionists who believe National isn't unionist enough.

The current makeup of the Northern Irish Parliament is as follows:

National - 17
Sinn Fein - 9
Ulster Conservatives - 4
SDLP - 1
Ecology - 1
Liberal -1

 

[tomasqs]

One question about sports, that unless I missed something you haven't mentioned it yet. Did the Junta by any chance, in their intent to erode the internal national identities of the UK merge National Sports associations (as in, for example, merging the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Football Associations and creating a united British National Team)?

 

[powerab]

One question about sports, that unless I missed something you haven't mentioned it yet. Did the Junta by any chance, in their intent to erode the internal national identities of the UK merge National Sports associations (as in, for example, merging the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Football Associations and creating a united British National Team)?

Yes there is a united British football association and team but there are calls to break it up now the Juntas over, Scottish separatists especially want their own team

 

[flasheart]

It would be interesting to know how the British Armed Forces of TTL compare to those of OTL. With the country having been run by military men for several decades I would imagine that the armed forces would have had a much larger budget and have been spared much of the cost cutting that took place IOTL with the result being a much larger and much better equipped military establishment.

I would imagine that the post Junta government would want to reign in military spending but with there being quite a big question mark regarding the loyalty of the Armed Forces would this actually be possible?

How did the deployments and tasks undertaken by the Armed Forces of TTL compare to OTL?

 

[Knightmare]

have been spared much of the cost cutting that took place IOTL with the result being a much larger and much better equipped military establishment.

I would imagine that the post Junta government would want to reign in military spending but with there being quite a big question mark regarding the loyalty of the Armed Forces would this actually be possible?

I will agree with larger, but better equipped? I have my doubts.

Dictatorships aren't known for having good procurement, let alone the British end of things, so while they can probably brag about having tons of tanks and such, whether or not they're actually efficent and worth the cash is up in the air.

Reminds me, was the SA80s first run the utter shitshow it was in OTL?