So a RISE-SNP-SA/WPS coalition? Wonderful, I can see Sean Connery raising (or better, RISING) his glass to celebrate 
"A Very British Transition" - A Post-Junta Britain TL
- Thread starter powerab
- Start date
1.What buildings that were built between the 60s and 2000s OTL are not built ITTL
2.What were the junta building e.g. monuments, homes, prisons, barracks
3.What were the Houses of Parliament used for during the junta era
2013 Scottish Parliament Election, Part 3
The Worker's Party held the keys to Scotland
“The small radical party that holds the key to the new Scottish government wants the executive to have “three or four” premiers. The number-two official at the Worker's Party of Scotland, Aamer Anwar, said the new regional government could have “an ensemble presidency". This would unblock the impasse in Scottish politics after Patrick Harvie won the parliamentary election. Harvie, the most visible face of the pro-independence movement, now needs support from the fringe party to secure that majority. But WPS leaders said before and after their campaign run that they would not join a government involving John Swinney. Other political forces in the regional parliament are openly anti-independence.” - Radical Worker’s Party wants “ensemble cast” to head Scottish executive
Whilst a RISE/SNP pact was workable, they still needed a third party to join the band if they were going to form a government. With the Social Democrats already declaring opposition to any further referendum they had two options, the federalist Alternative or the hardcore separatists in the Worker’s Party. When the Harvie's team approached Clark, she was receptive to a second referendum, she demanded the SNP withdraw support for National at the Westminster level, and that Alternative MSPs be given seats in the Cabinet. This was a non-starter for Swinney, who had signed an agreement to support the Westminster Government for a full four year term, and didn’t want to be seen putting personal political interests ahead of national stability.
Richie Venton, the Workers Party spokesman had much simpler demands. An earlier demand for a multi-person premiership of Scotland was dropped out of fears this would lead to a conservative from the SNP taking the reins. Richie’s MSP didn’t seek Cabinet positions, instead they agreed to support a government headed up by Harvie if two demands were met. Firstly a referendum within the Parliamentary term and secondly that the role of Finance Minister be granted to a socialist, many within the Workers Party worried this all important role would be given to a moderate from the SNP, and Venton pledged only to support a government with a radical economic platform. In return for this the Worker's Party would provide confidence and supply to the coalition during key deals. With the Worker’s Party onboard Harvie now had 51 seats in the Scottish Parliament - enough to present his Cabinet and form a majority.
Unionist parties warned of a Government in the pocket of Tommy Sheridan
Over the weeks of negotiations the Scottish Parliament did the usual administrative duties in setting up a new legislature. Christine Grahame from RISE was elected as Presiding Officer, officers were assigned and staff were hired. It was rather like the first day of school. In a ceremony attended by the Queen herself Harvie was elected as President of the Scottish Government by 50 votes, (Rosemary Byrne from the WPS abstained in protest of Harvie helping to kicking Sheridan out of RISE back in the day). The historic moment was not lost on attendees, for the first time in 300 years Scotland had it’s own Parliament and devolved Government again. The alde song picked up from where it left off.
“Politicians in Scotland have reached an agreement to call a referendum by 2017. A basic agreement between the moderate SNP and more radical RISE will result in a coalition between the two. The price for support is the setting of a time limit on a self-determination referendum. RISE leader Patrick Harvie had promised to hold one by the end of the decade but the radical Worker's Party has forced him to commit to it by 2017. The agreement with the SNP and WPS will allow Harvie to form a new government shortly. Officials in Harvie's office declined to confirm or deny the deal with WPS. The move looks likely to increase confrontation with William Hague's Westminster government. Hague has said he would make sure that courts banned a unilateral referendum in advance.” - Scotland in push for 2017 independence vote, Giles Tremlett, The Guardian (2013)
Harvie Scottish Government 2013-
- President - Patrick Harvie (RISE)
- Vice-President - John Swinney (SNP)
- Minister of Governance and Institutional Relations - Dennis Canavan (RISE)
- Minister of Agriculture and the Environment - Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (SNP)
- Minister of Home Affairs - Colin Fox (RISE)
- Minister of Justice - Andrew Fairlie (SNP)
- Minister of Economy and Knowledge - Maggie Chapman (RISE)
- Minister of Culture - Bruce Crawford (SNP)
- Minister of Enterprise and Employment - Alex Neil (RISE)
- Minister of Education - Richard Lochhead (SNP)
- Minister of Health - Tommy Sheppard (RISE)
- Minister of Territory and Sustainability - Fiona Hyslop (SNP)
Harvie would now have to face down William Hague
Considering the close number of MSPs, RISE and the SNP divided the Cabinet up equally, although RISE gained control of the all important Governance and Economy ministries. Dennis Canvan as Minister for Governance would also have a power job, his role would be working with the Westminster Government to negotiate and put in place an independence referendum by the end of the term. Maggie Chapman, a socialist and anti-cuts activist was put in place as Minister for the Economy, partly to placate the Workers Party, Chapman’s appointment was seen as a clear sign that the Harvie Government would not play by the old economic rule-book.
The moderates did get some success, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh of the SNP’s more moderate wing got the powerful Agriculture super-ministry. This was one of the furthest devolved powers in the Scottish autonomy deal, giving Ahmed-Sheikh unparalleled control over everything from fisheries to energy. Considering the SNP’s strength generally came from more middle class and rural areas, the party also picked up the Territory ministry, responsible for relations with the Highlands and Islands. The Ministry of Justice was another important job for the SNP’s Andrew Fairlie, he would have to work to try and talk down remaining SNLA dissidents and help bring peace to a divided nation.
Harvie promised the equally divided Executive would be a “Cabinet of Equals” promising a “broad tent Government, that will show the world what Scotland can do”. In many ways it was a motley crew, millionaire businesswoman Ahmed-Sheikh sitting next to former SNLA fighter Colin Fox under the leadership of an avowed eco-socialist. Gaining Scotland it’s independence had brought this strange, diverse group of people together. Now it fell to Harvie to get on with his Vice-President and keep the ship together. If he could keep the momentum towards independence going his critics would be silenced - if not it could all fall apart very quickly.
“Scotland's bid for independence hit an obstacle after the Commission said any breakaway territory would not be part of the EU. "If a member state territory decides to separate, it isn't a member of the EU," the Commission's Margrethe Vestager, said at a conference in Edinburgh. British Prime William Hague has rejected proposals for a Scottish popular vote, noting that only London can call for a referendum. The region has pledged to hold a referendum by the end of the Parliamentary term in 2017. In an NYT op-ed last week, Scottish president Patrick Harvie described Scotland as a strong EU partner. He said the region is bound to the UK through history and close family ties, but wants to have more control over its own economy. He noted that Scotland had suffered more cuts to public expenditure per capita on average than other regions.” - Commission Says Scotland must leave EU if it leaves the UK, Nikolaj Nielsen, EU Observer (2013)
A Scotland outside both the UK and EU would be incredibly isolated
Sorry missed this question
- Off the top of my head some buildings that no longer exist include City Hall and the Shard, for both political and financial reasons
- Several Junta Monuments include statues to Moutbatten, Hill Norton, Thatcher Powell etc all around the country, these have become a great point of political debate. The Junta was also especially into building new towns, especially in unruly areas such as Scotland, although most of these new towns are failed. There are also a lot more prisons and military bases around in OTL but that's mostly from less bases being shut down than more being built.
- The UK was still a Parliamentary System under the Junta so MPs still met in the Palace of Westminster, except this time they all had to be members of National and a great deal of them were military officers.
Not great as obviously Mountbatten was fairly unpopular, especially among the INC and Indian left. Relations would further deteriorate as India moved away from NATO during the Cold War and ethnic minority citizens were persecuted in Mountbatten Britain, especially south Asians.
Since the fall of the Junta both nations have tried to repair relations, with both countries receiving three state visits over the last eight years. But it will take a long time for wounds to heal.
I'm intrigued that the Guy Fawkes masks are around in this TL. Did Alan Moore write something akin to V For Vendetta but with the Junta and the National Party as the villains instead of a post-apocalyptic Norsefire regime?
As for the Scottish election, was any thought given to securing abstentions on confidence and supply as opposed to Yes votes? I would think that RISE and the SNP might be able to govern as a minority with issue-by-issue collaborations with the other parties. Or are the debates over austerity and Scottish independence just so heated that most of the non-governing parties would bring the whole thing down rather than tolerate something they don't support?
1.What happens to famous uk businesses e.g. Tesco & WHSmith?
2.What happens to television e.g, BBC & ITV?
2.What happens to television e.g, BBC & ITV?
Yes, whilst working for Marvel in the late 1970s Moore emigrated to the States to avoid the Junta due to his radical political views, Whilst living in exile he would write V for Vendetta as an allegory for the situation in Britain.
Whilst the RISE/SNP alliance probably could have maintained a minority government, their main goal of an independence referendum would not be accepted by any of the loyalist parties. Scottish politics is very heated an a lot of the unionist parties, the AFU especially benefit from having the seperatist parties as a boogeyman so would never openly work with them.
The most populous new towns are:
- Montgomery, West of Glasgow, Population 20,000
- Slim, North of Edinburgh, Population 11,000
- Churchill, East of London, Population 9,600
- Brunel, North of Eastbourne, Population 5,800
- Alanbrooke, West of Glasgow, Population 2,000
- Spencer, North of Glasgow, Population 800
- Darwin, South of Manchester, Population 240
- Shakespear, South of Cambridge, Population 110
British businesses are a lot more insular and self sufficient as foreign investment is a relatively new thing. Tesco remains one of the dominant supermarkets in the UK but never expanded abroad. WHSmiths struggled a bit as the Junta censored literature and several leading authors fled abroad but it did manage to survive the full 40 years. It is fairly similar to OTL but a bit smaller.
BBC remained under harsh censorship and central control during the Junta years, severely damaging it's reputation abroad. ITV was allowed to launch but also remained heavily constrained. Both still exist but are smaller brands than OTL
Chapter 71: Unite the Right
Since being dismissed for refusing to comply with military reforms, colonel Cleverly had been quietly building a new force on the right
“Rebels from Britain's ruling National Party launched a new political party on Thursday. They hope to tap into public discontent over sky-high unemployment and surging separatism. Leaders of the new party, "The Centrists" accuse Prime Minister William Hague of being too soft on separatism and breaking promises. “Millions of Brits feel abandoned by the political system. It is infested with corruption scandals and at the beck and call of private interests,” Neil Hamilton, a former National MEP, told reporters. An opinion poll last weekend showed that National has lost its lead to the SDP in the wake of austerity measures and Hague’s plan to restrict abortion. It is the second time the SDP have inched ahead since they lost a general election in late 2012. Voters have increasingly turned to smaller parties such as the centrist Reform Party.” - British ruling party rebels launch new conservative party, Elisabeth O’Leary, Reuters (2013)
Britain's right was having a strange time, you would have thought they’d be happy with the National back in Downing Street. But many on the hard-line edge of British politics had been severely disappointed with William Hague. Hague had failed to roll-back abortion rights, or return the army into a position of prominence. Instead he had kowtowed to the dreaded EU in a bailout deal, made cuts to the public realm and even given the unruly Scots their own Parliament. Mountbatten would be rolling in his grave. Godfrey Bloom’s New Nationalist Party had long been the face of Britain's radical right, but they had failed to gain any representation at a national level and had generally been a huge embarrassment.
The right had seen some victories, the ultra-loyalist Scottish Democratic Alliance had managed to win a seat in the Scottish Parliament and James Cleverly’s Association for National Defence campaign group of veterans had seen huge success on social media, with over a million likes on Facebook. The right had won sporadic victories but had no united front to coordinate it’s political campaigns. Maybe it was the Scottish Parliament results that put a fire in the belly of Britain's Mountbattenites, or maybe it was the timidness of Hague’s administration, it might even have been the failure of the abortion bill. Either way a new political movement was stirring on the National Party’s flank.
Godfrey Bloom would be publicly dropped as the leader of Britain's far-right
At a press conference in central London a group of leading figures on the right, including the AND’s James Cleverly, SDA’s Jim Dowson, NNP’s Godfrey Bloom, as well as National Party MEPs Neil Hamilton and Anne Widdecombe took to the stage. They were joined by Rod Thomas, the ultra-conservative Bishop of Maidstone and multi-millionaire business mogul Jeremy Hosking. In a series of speeches headlined by Cleverly the group announced they would be launching a brand new party “The Centrists”, led by Cleverly himself. The party promised to be a party of the British Union first and foremost, railing against regional separatism. Cleverly also announced it would be a party for “true Conservatives” who would “uphold the legacy of our nation’s great men”. Some of the more eye-catching policies The Centrists proposed included the scrapping of Scotland’s autonomy deal and an end to provincial parliaments.
“For years, Britain had avoided the rise of far-right populists, dodging a trend sweeping other parts of Europe. But recently, that all changed. In December, the far-right party "The Centrists" launched. It is the first time a far-right party has entered mainstream British politics since the end of its decades-long dictatorship. Right-wing populist parties are rising, and centre-left ones are faltering, in other parts of Europe and beyond. And some aspects of The Centrist's agenda are reminiscent of the other movements, while others are local. It wants to deport undocumented migrants, limit regional autonomy and repeal domestic violence laws. It has received support from French nationalist Marine Le Pen.” - In Britain, Far-Right Populists Rise On Anti-Separatist Sentiment, NPR News Bulletin (2013)
With a generation donation from Hosking of 3 million euros, The Centrists were already in a much better financial situation than many of their competitors. Their official launch was attended by thousands of people, with the party claiming that dozens of regional legislators had already defected to The Centrists’ cause. The split was a disaster for National, whilst none of their big hitters had crossed the floor yet, the split whipped out their polling lead over the Social Democrats overnight. The Centrist’s rise, alongside the surge in support for RISE was further proof that the British people were turning against the two mainstream parties, looking for a better deal.
Civil Assistance Paramilitaries provided "security" at the launch rally
These new smaller parties weren’t cropping from nowhere, the EU elections were just a few months away, and these were the best way for smaller parties to breakthrough onto the national stage as they were fought in a UK-wide constituency. Both National and the Social Democrats feared the Centrist's wouldn’t be the first party split, as discontent backbenchers looked towards the exit as a way of making their voices heard. The OutRage protests had already shown political action outside the two big parties could see success. National in particular had a lot to fear from a groundswell of small parties, the Harrison corruption trial was still ongoing and austerity was far from popular. National had always relied on a strongman to hold them together, was Hague strong enough?
At Centrist rallies following the party’s launch thousands would turn out to the “Road Trip for Britain”. Some of the people attending the rallies were expected such as Union for British Policing (UBP) Secretary-General Henry Bolton, as well as various retired military officers including former Defence Secretary Charles Gunthrie who told journalists he was “just curious” when asked why he was at a Centrist rally. Whilst priests, soldiers and policemen were all expected at right-wing events, the rallies saw a surprisingly high turnout among young people. With youth unemployment at nearly 50% Britain's youth were disenchanted with the political establishment more than anyone, whilst many would turn to the OutRage movement, for other’s the siren call of Mountbattenism was too hard to resist.
“When Daisy Gray turned up in Berlin a year ago and walked into her first German class, she was amazed to find almost all her classmates were fellow Brits. "They were all engineers, apart from an architect and myself," says the art historian. "All here for the same reason – to work." Gray, 36, has begun a job as an art history guide at one of Berlin's top tourist sites, the Pergamon Museum. Gray ends a lengthy period of joblessness that started when she was made redundant from her job as a curator at a gallery in London in December 2011. The Belfast native is one of the estimated 100,000 young Europeans who are now arriving in Germany every year since the economic crisis began. The Greek rate of youth unemployment now stands at more than 60%, Britain's is nearly 50%, Spain, Italy and Portugal are at 40%. Germany, with its shortage of skilled workers, has become a magnet for this section of European society. From Lisbon to London the Goethe Institute, has reported a record uptake in its language classes. It is scrambling to find teachers to meet the demand.” - Young Brits flock to Germany to escape economic misery back home, Ashifa Kassam, Toronto Star (2013)
Sky-high unemployment continued to push voters away from the centre
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49493993/this-is-fine.0.jpg)
The one up in Edinburgh planning to ditch the UK, one in Wales, I think.
Scotland is also defined as an Autonomous Region, so it has it's own Parliament between the Westminster and Provincial level