2018 Presidential Election
- Thread starter Marky Bunny
- Start date
Friday, May 24th 2019
US ships intercept Iranian vessels attempting to enter Qumari waters
United States Navy vessels have intercepted and turned back two Iranian patrol boats that attempted to enter into Qumari waters. At approximately 3:30 PM local time (7 AM EST), two Iranian coastal patrol vessels attempted to enter Qumari waters but were intercepted by elements of Carrier Strike Group 12 and after a thirty-minute stand off, turned back. No shots were fired, although it is reported that both groups of ships had their guns trained on each other.
President Sam Seaborn addressed the situation while addressing the press after a meeting with Colombian President Juan Hernández, stating that the United States would turn back every Iranian ship trying to enter Qumari waters. "The United States and its allies will not allow any further Iranian violations of Qumari waters," the president said. "We remain committed to finding a peaceful solution with the government of Iran that respects the sovereignty of Qumar, but any further illegal encroachments will not be tolerated by the United States Navy nor will it be by those of any other force authorized by the Qumari Ruling Council to protect Qumar's territorial waters."
Three of the five Iranian naval vessels that precipitated the current crisis by entering Qumari waters on May 16th remain in Qumari waters and have thus been tacitly allowed to continue their patrols by American and British forces, although sources within the Pentagon say that they are being shadowed by at least two American or British ships at all times. Those same sources told NBS that it is likely those ships will be forced to return to port for resupply within the next week.
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OOC: The last established President of Colombia was Ignacio Reyes (played by Diego Trujillo) back in 2015. Colombia implemented a one-term limit on their presidents that year, so Reyes' term ended in 2018 and Hernández was elected for the term that will end in 2022.
Sunday, May 26th 2019
As crisis continues, Qumaris continue with planned elections
Jabal Nafusah — With three Iranian ships still inside Qumari waters, shadowed by a flotilla of American and British ships with their fingers on the trigger, it could be assumed that Qumari authorities would have postponed the country's July elections in order to deal with the ongoing crisis. But the work of the Electoral Commission in downtown Jabal Nafusah has continued unabated. Every day, as anxious locals and foreign aid workers keep the droning of Al Jazeera or BBC World News playing constantly to stay aware of any change in the situation 150 miles (240 km) away in the Strait of Hormuz, dozens of political candidates file in to deposit signatures and registration fees to get on the ballot in one of the country's 25 provinces, about half of whom are wholly, or in part, behind the "Stop Line" and thus in Iranian-held territory. A few hundred temporary hires are in a nondescript office building, guarded by a mixed platoon of British and Qumari soldiers, manually entering voter registration data that has been collected by volunteers and election authorities to replace the outdated information held over from before the country's government collapsed in 2016.
A weary, but prideful determination to keep on with the election to elect a new parliament that will decide the form of the country's permanent government and write a new constitution. The clear disapproval of their hated Iranian neighbors to prevent any such election from taking place has led to a "rally around the flag" effect that local observers would have though impossible just one year ago.
"The QRC [Qumari Ruling Council] has been, widely or wrongly, considered nothing more than stooges for the ABCs [American, British, Chinese] who have, been rumored to have been profiteering off the suffering of the Qumari people," Dr. Muhammad al-Aziz of the Cairo University, wrote in 2017. Now, Dr. al-Aziz says, members of the ruling council are using their refusal to postpone the election as a selling point to portray themselves as nationalists. "Now you have people like [ruling council member Iyad] Midani, who has owed his entire political career to being willing to parrot whatever the Chinese military authorities in his province tell him to say, recasting themselves as Qumari patriots who have resisted calls to postpone the election from the foreign powers and those bought by them."
The emerging political order in Qumar, as it stands now, will in all likelihood be different from the one that led the country into its collapse in 2016. The large exodus of refugees to neighboring countries since then, plus the occupation of the northern part of the country by Iran meant that the first-past-the-post system previously used (and which is currently used in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States to elect members of Congress in most states) would have to be abandoned for this election. In its place, a proportional representation system (used in New Zealand and in most of Europe) will be used, with most seats (three will continue to be reserved for religious minorities) allocated to party lists depending on their share of the national vote. This change will likely embolden defections and splinter parties forming off the formerly-dominant Reform and Conservative parties, as will the leadership vacuum that has occurred in Conservative ranks, with many pre-crisis leaders having either been discredited for their ties to Bahji groups, died, fled, or been killed.
But with their country possibly on the precipice of a new political beginning, Qumaris are looking to the sea and praying that their country will not be the battlefield in a war between the United States and Iran, and that after four years of war and occupation, peace will finally be in sight.
Atlantis Cable News
BREAKING NEWS
ARTILLERY FIRE IN CYPRUS
Linou, Republic of Cyprus- Less than 2 miles from the United Nations Buffer Zone, two dozen artillery batteries of the Cypriot National Guard have opened fire within the last few minutes. Several Sources reporting that they are firing in the direction of the Turkish positions on the other side of the buffer. More to follow as information arrives.
Atlantis Cable News
BREAKING NEWS
"Artillery Only a Drill"; Cypriot Officials apologize for "Massive Oversight"
Linou, Republic of Cyprus- Cypriot National Guard spokesman, Brigadier General Nikos Grivas apologized for the Artillery operations, claiming that they were part of a "pre-scheduled drill" that was not cancelled following the tragic events of the past week. General Grivas offered the profound apologies of the Cypriot Government, calling the failure to cancel the drill a "Massive Oversight." ACN Military Analyst Mike Tapley has confirmed that the artillery only "churned some dirt" and that no one was injured. Nevertheless, the events of today have only served to add more tension to the already precarious situation on the Island of Cyprus.
Atlantis Cable News
McColl gaining in polls vs DiSarro as June 11th Primary nears
Portland, Oregon- With the Oregon Gubernatorial Primaries just over two weeks away, Secretary of State Candice McColl is gaining in the polls against Portland Mayor Mitch DiSarro. DiSarro, who was the Socialist Party's nominee for Lieutenant Governor four years ago, has been the front runner ever since he announced a few months ago. Initially considered to be a nominal challenger at best, Ms. Candice McColl has slowly been gaining momentum, and has closed the polling deficit from more than 30 points to only 11 with the Primary only 16 days away. Pundits have cited her charismatic persona as a key factor in her rise in the polls, having been able to run circles around DiSarro. Many have also cited Oregonian Democrats strong dislike of DiSarro over his brief defection to the Socialist Party in 2015.
Governor Walter Collins is unopposed in the GOP Primary.
ACN Gubernatorial Poll
Democratic Primary:
Mayor Mitch DiSarro- 48
Secretary of State Candice McColl- 37
Undecided/Other- 17
BBC.CO.UK/Politics
Monday May 27th 2019
Conservatives win European Election as NPP and Labour also make gains
Liberal Democrats,Socialist Alliance and Green's lose all their MEP's
The Conservatives did slightly better than the polls had been suggesting winning twenty nine seats (including one seat with the UUP in Northern Ireland), two seats up on five years ago. This coming despite a fall in the popular vote of just over 9% winning 33.37% of the vote. The NPP won twenty four seats with 27.09% of the vote.
Labour gained six seats in total up to sixteen from ten, with 19.75% of the vote. The Major story of the night though was the total Wipeout of seats for the Liberal Democrats who are left without a single MEP after losing all six MEP's. The Socialist Alliance also lost all seven seats, and the Green's their two MEP's.
Monday May 27th 2019
Conservatives win European Election as NPP and Labour also make gains
Liberal Democrats,Socialist Alliance and Green's lose all their MEP's
The Conservatives did slightly better than the polls had been suggesting winning twenty nine seats (including one seat with the UUP in Northern Ireland), two seats up on five years ago. This coming despite a fall in the popular vote of just over 9% winning 33.37% of the vote. The NPP won twenty four seats with 27.09% of the vote.
Labour gained six seats in total up to sixteen from ten, with 19.75% of the vote. The Major story of the night though was the total Wipeout of seats for the Liberal Democrats who are left without a single MEP after losing all six MEP's. The Socialist Alliance also lost all seven seats, and the Green's their two MEP's.
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Monday, May 27th 2019
President Seaborn visits Arlington Memorial Cemetery, lays wreath at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
President Sam Seaborn today visited Arlington Memorial Cemetery alongside First Lady Lauren Parker-Seaborn and Vice President Jack Hunter, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as part of the nation's Memorial Day ceremonies.
In his first Memorial Day as president, Seaborn visited the nation's most hallowed ground, where thousands of the nation's war dead lay buried, casualties of conflicts from the Civil War to the conflict in Qumar. After paying his respects at the grave sites of some of the most recent internees, the president participated in the laying of the ceremonial wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, honoring all those unidentified servicemen and women who died in America's wars.
In his brief remarks, President Seaborn said it was his most solemn duty as president to help the nation remember "those who gave the last full measure at devotion, not just at places forever linked in our nation's memory like Gettysburg, Normandy or Iwo Jima, but in places like Cantigny, Bloody Ridge, Dak To, Mutannah, Jabalia and Salalah...names which are unfamiliar to most Americans, but which have a terrible and solemn familiarity to the families and friends of those who fell there."
President Seaborn lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
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Not that are public, no. Obviously there is a lot they disagree on, and there's some awkwardness about having a Republican veep in a Democratic administration, but so far the two have managed to keep their disagreements from affecting their working relationship.
Why would he do either of those things?
BBC.CO.UK/Politics
Tuesday May 28th 2019
Breaking News Breaking News
Labour Leader Andrea Benn making statement outside Labour Party HQ in Central London
"Just under five years ago, the Labour Party put its faith in me to be its new leader. We as a party then started from an almost impossible low starting point, I am proud today that we now have a united party. We have over fifty more Members of Parliament compared to back then. We have more MEP’s and control more councils.
We have taken a huge step forward and I want to thank everyone for the fantastic support, the unstinting support they have given me during this time, my colleagues in the shadow cabinet, my colleagues in the parliamentary party and the voluntary members of our party who worked so hard night and day for party in that time. We have taken a huge step forward but there's much, much more to be done. We have got to keep listening, we have got to keep learning. We have got to work hard, not just nationally but locally, to rebuild our party at the grass roots and we have got to keep on standing up for the forgotten majority of our country.
But I also have to be honest and realistic, I have fallen short despite these gains, the results have not been good enough, it’s not the fault of my shadow cabinet, or our excellent candidates who have failed to be elected. I realise that despite how far we have come as a party, it’s not good enough for this party or the country.
I believe that I have taken this party as far as I can under my leadership, I believe it’s better to stand aside sooner rather than later so the party can choose someone who can. I want to avoid the uncertainty of prolonged debate about the leadership of the party. We have plenty of talented MP’s anyone of a number who I believe can build on my leadership and take it to the next level and back into government at the next general election.
It is widely known that there is a good deal of dissatisfaction with the existing rules for choosing the leader of the party so I intend to stay as leader until the party has had the opportunity to consider whether it wishes those rules to be changed and if so how they should be changed. When that process is complete I shall then resign as leader. I hope the whole process can be decided by the annual conference at the end of September.
We need to remain united, never to return to the bickering and back-stabbing of the past and we need to remain positive and outward looking. I did not achieve what I set out to achieve but I hope over the past four and half years, I have at least given something back not just to my party but to my country, a voice for the forgotten majority, a voice for common sense and above all a credible opposition that can hold this government to account.
Thank you"
Tuesday May 28th 2019
Breaking News Breaking News
Labour Leader Andrea Benn making statement outside Labour Party HQ in Central London
"Just under five years ago, the Labour Party put its faith in me to be its new leader. We as a party then started from an almost impossible low starting point, I am proud today that we now have a united party. We have over fifty more Members of Parliament compared to back then. We have more MEP’s and control more councils.
We have taken a huge step forward and I want to thank everyone for the fantastic support, the unstinting support they have given me during this time, my colleagues in the shadow cabinet, my colleagues in the parliamentary party and the voluntary members of our party who worked so hard night and day for party in that time. We have taken a huge step forward but there's much, much more to be done. We have got to keep listening, we have got to keep learning. We have got to work hard, not just nationally but locally, to rebuild our party at the grass roots and we have got to keep on standing up for the forgotten majority of our country.
But I also have to be honest and realistic, I have fallen short despite these gains, the results have not been good enough, it’s not the fault of my shadow cabinet, or our excellent candidates who have failed to be elected. I realise that despite how far we have come as a party, it’s not good enough for this party or the country.
I believe that I have taken this party as far as I can under my leadership, I believe it’s better to stand aside sooner rather than later so the party can choose someone who can. I want to avoid the uncertainty of prolonged debate about the leadership of the party. We have plenty of talented MP’s anyone of a number who I believe can build on my leadership and take it to the next level and back into government at the next general election.
It is widely known that there is a good deal of dissatisfaction with the existing rules for choosing the leader of the party so I intend to stay as leader until the party has had the opportunity to consider whether it wishes those rules to be changed and if so how they should be changed. When that process is complete I shall then resign as leader. I hope the whole process can be decided by the annual conference at the end of September.
We need to remain united, never to return to the bickering and back-stabbing of the past and we need to remain positive and outward looking. I did not achieve what I set out to achieve but I hope over the past four and half years, I have at least given something back not just to my party but to my country, a voice for the forgotten majority, a voice for common sense and above all a credible opposition that can hold this government to account.
Thank you"
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BBC.CO.UK/Politics
Wednesday May 29th 2019
Hannah Martin rules out leadership bid
The Shadow Home Secretary, Hannah Martin has confirmed this morning that she will not be standing for the leadership of the Labour Party when the contest starts in the coming months.
The MP for Manchester Central, ran for the leadership in 2014 and was eliminated in the third round of voting. She took maternity leave at the start of this year following the birth of her first child,and her domestic situation is complicated by the fact that she is married to Daniel Maddox, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
"I ran five years ago, but I am not doing it again. My focus is serving in the Shadow Cabinet, and the job of being a Mother" she told reporters in a breath statement leaving her London home this morning.
Shadow Home Secretary, Hannah Martin
photo by keeley Hawes-previous casting)
Wednesday May 29th 2019
Hannah Martin rules out leadership bid
The Shadow Home Secretary, Hannah Martin has confirmed this morning that she will not be standing for the leadership of the Labour Party when the contest starts in the coming months.
The MP for Manchester Central, ran for the leadership in 2014 and was eliminated in the third round of voting. She took maternity leave at the start of this year following the birth of her first child,and her domestic situation is complicated by the fact that she is married to Daniel Maddox, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
"I ran five years ago, but I am not doing it again. My focus is serving in the Shadow Cabinet, and the job of being a Mother" she told reporters in a breath statement leaving her London home this morning.
Shadow Home Secretary, Hannah Martin
photo by keeley Hawes-previous casting)
BBC.CO.UK/Politics/Labourleadership2019
Wednesday May 29th 2019
Labour Leadership: Who Could run?
Labour Leader Andrea Benn's decision yesterday to announce that she was standing down later this year following a review of the party leadership election rules means the party will be looking for it's fourth permeant leader since the party was voted out of office in April 2011.
Who could replace her, plenty of contenders, old warriors and some young contenders. Here we look at five of them.
Jack Coll (Party Chairman)
MP for Chorley since 1996
Age: 55
Spending the Meyer years on the backbenches, he served as Minister of State for Europe and the Americas during John Green's term as prime minister, briefly acting as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in 2009 when Secretary Rachel Lilburn was recuperating from injuries sustained in a terrorist attack. Following Labour's defeat in 2011, Coll moved onto the frontbenches, becoming Shadow Secretary of State for Defence from 2011 to 2013, briefly serving as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2013 before becoming Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs just before the 2013 general election. He would serve at this post until 2017, when he was moved to his current posts as party chairman and National Campaign Coordinator by Andrea Benn. Regarded by many pundits as the clear front-runner, has support both with MP's and the party as a whole. Is believed to support abolishing the current leadership electoral college and replacing with system similar to the one used by the Conservatives. On a downside he is regarded by some as bit dour.
Patrick Brazil (Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs)
MP for Inverclyde since 2004
Age: 48
During both his undergraduate and law school career, Brazil was strongly involved with Labour politics, becoming president of his university's chapter of Young Labour. After graduation, he had a brief career as a solicitor before being selected for safe seat of Inverclyde ahead of the 2004 election. Easily winning the seat, he didn't make many waves during the next decade, but slowly rose as Labour returned to and then fell out of government. After the 2013 Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, Brazil finally made it to the frontbench, serving his first stint as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 2013 before being promoted to Shadow Secretary of State for Pensions and Work later that year. When Andrea Benn became Labour's leader in 2014, she moved him back to the position of Chief Secretary to the Treasury. His polished and skilful performances in the House of Commons led to his promotion during the 2016 reshuffle to be Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Lord Chancellor. The next reshuffle in 2017 saw his star rise even higher as he was promoted to Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. He has emerged as Labour's chief spokesman in opposition to the Samuels government's foreign policy, especially critical of the continued British presence in Qumar and opposition to hold any second referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union. He has been one of the big success of the Benn leadership, and most regard him as the front-runner of the "reform wing" of the party.
Daniel Lamont (Former Chancellor of the Exchequer 2009 to 2011)
MP for Hackney South & Shoreditch since 1991
Age: 56
Could he come back and run again? Lamont is a devise character, you either love him or hate him but you cannot doubt his does a big following within the party, especially weirdly with the younger members. An MP since 1991, he has the experience, having served in both the Meyer and Green Government's before being promoted to Chancellor in April 2009. His two years at Number Eleven Downing Street where mixed, he is was one of the major players behind "Smeargate" which helped the Green Government to fall, whilst tax increases for the middle class and increasing public spending. You can be insured that if he does become leader the Conservatives will use his time at the Treasury against him. He had two bad years when the party left office running to be the London Mayoral candidate in 2012-2013 for 2014, before losing to Malcom Sinton who lost in a landslide. He ran in 2014 for the leadership but after doing well early well on and topping many early polls he failed to get away from his "yesterday's man" image. He suggested in 2016 that he would retire at the next General Election, but he had a change heart and stood once more and was elected again at the General Election last year. He has found a following since 2016 with young followers after the publication of his book "Ending Greed, a new socialist Society". Could he really return, stranger things have happened.
Oliver Kendrick (Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer)
MP for Hemsworth since 2013
Age: 35
The face of the "new" Labour Party. The rising star of the party who was promoted by Andrea Benn rapidly through the ranks of the Shadow Cabinet. He joined in it in 2016 as Shadow Secretary of State for the now defunct department of "Administrative Affairs" before being promoted in May 2017 Shadow Education Secretary aged just 33. He only entered Parliament at the 2013 General Election, which makes his emergence even the more remarkable. He ran for Parliament after fighting against the closure of his local cottage hospital, He has spoken out for more funding into the causes of "Sudden infant death syndrome" after the death of his baby son in 2012 aged just four months old. He is known for his good looks and was voted the 2018 "Best looking Male MP". He was the surprise choice to become Shadow Chancellor last year after Kate Wells lost her seat at the general election. His age could work both ways, either seen as too young or as the "new blood" and a fresh start. He has performed well as Shadow Chancellor but many still regard him as a "lightweight" and just a "pretty face". He is believed to have support among many of the 2013 & 2018 intact of Labour MP's.
Ruth Butler (Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary)
MP for Leigh since 2007
Age: 44
The other likely "younger" candidate. Another one who has been promoted swiftly by Andrea Benn, Shadow Education Secretary then to Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary. Regarded as big success against the Government's attempted reforms of the benefits system. Butler who is gay married her long term partner last year soon after "Equal Marriage" was passed into law after the 2016 referendum. She came under fire by some in the Labour Party for openly campaigning during the referendum campaign with the Prime-Minister and then Home Secretary (now London Mayor) Nigel Jay. She is know for her blunt Northern style and at times "colourful language". Regarded as a "dark-horse" by many.
Wednesday May 29th 2019
Labour Leadership: Who Could run?
Labour Leader Andrea Benn's decision yesterday to announce that she was standing down later this year following a review of the party leadership election rules means the party will be looking for it's fourth permeant leader since the party was voted out of office in April 2011.
Who could replace her, plenty of contenders, old warriors and some young contenders. Here we look at five of them.
Jack Coll (Party Chairman)
MP for Chorley since 1996
Age: 55
Spending the Meyer years on the backbenches, he served as Minister of State for Europe and the Americas during John Green's term as prime minister, briefly acting as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in 2009 when Secretary Rachel Lilburn was recuperating from injuries sustained in a terrorist attack. Following Labour's defeat in 2011, Coll moved onto the frontbenches, becoming Shadow Secretary of State for Defence from 2011 to 2013, briefly serving as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2013 before becoming Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs just before the 2013 general election. He would serve at this post until 2017, when he was moved to his current posts as party chairman and National Campaign Coordinator by Andrea Benn. Regarded by many pundits as the clear front-runner, has support both with MP's and the party as a whole. Is believed to support abolishing the current leadership electoral college and replacing with system similar to the one used by the Conservatives. On a downside he is regarded by some as bit dour.
Patrick Brazil (Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs)
MP for Inverclyde since 2004
Age: 48
During both his undergraduate and law school career, Brazil was strongly involved with Labour politics, becoming president of his university's chapter of Young Labour. After graduation, he had a brief career as a solicitor before being selected for safe seat of Inverclyde ahead of the 2004 election. Easily winning the seat, he didn't make many waves during the next decade, but slowly rose as Labour returned to and then fell out of government. After the 2013 Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, Brazil finally made it to the frontbench, serving his first stint as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 2013 before being promoted to Shadow Secretary of State for Pensions and Work later that year. When Andrea Benn became Labour's leader in 2014, she moved him back to the position of Chief Secretary to the Treasury. His polished and skilful performances in the House of Commons led to his promotion during the 2016 reshuffle to be Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Lord Chancellor. The next reshuffle in 2017 saw his star rise even higher as he was promoted to Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. He has emerged as Labour's chief spokesman in opposition to the Samuels government's foreign policy, especially critical of the continued British presence in Qumar and opposition to hold any second referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union. He has been one of the big success of the Benn leadership, and most regard him as the front-runner of the "reform wing" of the party.
Daniel Lamont (Former Chancellor of the Exchequer 2009 to 2011)
MP for Hackney South & Shoreditch since 1991
Age: 56
Could he come back and run again? Lamont is a devise character, you either love him or hate him but you cannot doubt his does a big following within the party, especially weirdly with the younger members. An MP since 1991, he has the experience, having served in both the Meyer and Green Government's before being promoted to Chancellor in April 2009. His two years at Number Eleven Downing Street where mixed, he is was one of the major players behind "Smeargate" which helped the Green Government to fall, whilst tax increases for the middle class and increasing public spending. You can be insured that if he does become leader the Conservatives will use his time at the Treasury against him. He had two bad years when the party left office running to be the London Mayoral candidate in 2012-2013 for 2014, before losing to Malcom Sinton who lost in a landslide. He ran in 2014 for the leadership but after doing well early well on and topping many early polls he failed to get away from his "yesterday's man" image. He suggested in 2016 that he would retire at the next General Election, but he had a change heart and stood once more and was elected again at the General Election last year. He has found a following since 2016 with young followers after the publication of his book "Ending Greed, a new socialist Society". Could he really return, stranger things have happened.
Oliver Kendrick (Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer)
MP for Hemsworth since 2013
Age: 35
The face of the "new" Labour Party. The rising star of the party who was promoted by Andrea Benn rapidly through the ranks of the Shadow Cabinet. He joined in it in 2016 as Shadow Secretary of State for the now defunct department of "Administrative Affairs" before being promoted in May 2017 Shadow Education Secretary aged just 33. He only entered Parliament at the 2013 General Election, which makes his emergence even the more remarkable. He ran for Parliament after fighting against the closure of his local cottage hospital, He has spoken out for more funding into the causes of "Sudden infant death syndrome" after the death of his baby son in 2012 aged just four months old. He is known for his good looks and was voted the 2018 "Best looking Male MP". He was the surprise choice to become Shadow Chancellor last year after Kate Wells lost her seat at the general election. His age could work both ways, either seen as too young or as the "new blood" and a fresh start. He has performed well as Shadow Chancellor but many still regard him as a "lightweight" and just a "pretty face". He is believed to have support among many of the 2013 & 2018 intact of Labour MP's.
Ruth Butler (Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary)
MP for Leigh since 2007
Age: 44
The other likely "younger" candidate. Another one who has been promoted swiftly by Andrea Benn, Shadow Education Secretary then to Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary. Regarded as big success against the Government's attempted reforms of the benefits system. Butler who is gay married her long term partner last year soon after "Equal Marriage" was passed into law after the 2016 referendum. She came under fire by some in the Labour Party for openly campaigning during the referendum campaign with the Prime-Minister and then Home Secretary (now London Mayor) Nigel Jay. She is know for her blunt Northern style and at times "colourful language". Regarded as a "dark-horse" by many.
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Jack Coll standing for the first time as an MP in 1996.
Patrick Brazil in a House of Commons committee room last year
Daniel Lamont at the Funeral of Ricky Meyer in January 2012
Oliver Kendrick at his General Election count, September 2018
Ruth Butler on the "Graham Norton" show in 2016, campaigning for "Equal Marriage" ahead of the referendum
(Photos by:
Christopher Eccleston-Original thread casting
David Tennant-Original thread casting
Michael French-Original thread casting
Bradley James-Re-casted
Kate Winslet-New Casting)
Patrick Brazil in a House of Commons committee room last year
Daniel Lamont at the Funeral of Ricky Meyer in January 2012
Oliver Kendrick at his General Election count, September 2018
Ruth Butler on the "Graham Norton" show in 2016, campaigning for "Equal Marriage" ahead of the referendum
(Photos by:
Christopher Eccleston-Original thread casting
David Tennant-Original thread casting
Michael French-Original thread casting
Bradley James-Re-casted
Kate Winslet-New Casting)
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Wednesday, May 29th 2019
Iranian ships leave Qumari waters
The three remaining Iranian ships that entered Qumari waters on May 16th, precipitating a crisis in the Persian Gulf, have returned to port in Iran to resupply. All three ships departed at approximately 8:00 AM local time (11:30 PM Tuesday EST), observed by British and American ships. No announcement was made by Iranian government or military authorities, and no Iranian government official responded to requests for comments regarding the exit of Iranian vessels from Qumari waters.
Secretary of Defense Jack Shannon said the Iranian ships' departure was unopposed and that American and British ships have continued their patrols to make sure no further Iranian vessels enter Qumari waters. UK Secretary of Defence Adam Jackson told British reporters that further attempts by Iranian military vessels into Qumari waters had been reported, and that "the possibility of a disastrous miscommunication has decreased tremendously" with the departure of the three Iranian ships.
"While the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains volatile, we hope that today marks the end of the most precarious moment in the region in years." Jackson said in a statement. Jackson stated that international forces in the Persian Gulf were still coordinating with Iranian vessels participating in anti-piracy and anti-Bahji patrols in international waters.