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

Well this is certainly a welcome surprise. Interesting to consider how the UK's position in the EU as an economically weaker latecomer gives them a reduced appeal to refugees. Oddly enough, I somehow feel this might make their magnanimity towards those refugees and Hague's heel-face turn on the issue less likely to blow up in their faces, but I'm no expert in all the push and pull factors that drive this kind of migration; I just get a sense that the stakes are different. At any rate, it's concerning that the British far-right is plotting to exacerbate and exploit xenophobic sentiments, and their willingness to accept the democratic system so they can utilize it to push their virulent agenda against refugees is a truly hollow victory at best. Another thing I'm interested in is whether the closer ties between EU member states ITTL has any effect on their response to the refugee crisis. I'm not super well-versed in EU politics, so I'd welcome an explanation of any knock-on effects that have already been borne out.
 
Well this is certainly a welcome surprise. Interesting to consider how the UK's position in the EU as an economically weaker latecomer gives them a reduced appeal to refugees. Oddly enough, I somehow feel this might make their magnanimity towards those refugees and Hague's heel-face turn on the issue less likely to blow up in their faces, but I'm no expert in all the push and pull factors that drive this kind of migration; I just get a sense that the stakes are different. At any rate, it's concerning that the British far-right is plotting to exacerbate and exploit xenophobic sentiments, and their willingness to accept the democratic system so they can utilize it to push their virulent agenda against refugees is a truly hollow victory at best. Another thing I'm interested in is whether the closer ties between EU member states ITTL has any effect on their response to the refugee crisis. I'm not super well-versed in EU politics, so I'd welcome an explanation of any knock-on effects that have already been borne out.
Things like migrant qoutas and general centralisation of immigration policy is a lot further along. Whilst Austria, Hungary and Poland are kicking off like in OTL, without one of the big five states backing them they can do little to resist this.

One notable consequence is that Barnier, rather than Junker is commission President. Since David Cameron never split the EPP's soft-eurosceptic right to form the ECR, most of them remain in the EPP. This means that whilst there is no Conservative bloc in Parliament, the centre-right group is large and further right than OTL. Hence Barnier as the more gradualist candidate won out in the internal EPP campaign against the more federalist Junker.
 
Chapter 79: London Bridge
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A cloud had hung over the monarchy since the attempted coup of 2009

“After 63 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth announced Monday that she is abdicating in favour of her son. “I have always sought to be a Queen for all the people,” she said in a prerecorded five-minute video address broadcast. “My only ambition was for the progress of all British people, I want the best for the United Kingdom. Prince Charles is taking up her mantle, though the role of king is ceremonial, the post carries great moral weight among many Brits. “My son Charles, inheritor of the crown, is the embodiment of stability,” Elizabeth said. “The Prince of Wales has the maturity and the necessary preparation to assume the role.” It is not clear exactly when the handover will take place, as the British government must enact the legal mechanisms of succession
.” - Britain’s Queen Abdicates, Lauren Frayer, Los Angeles Times (2015)

Queen Elizabeth was an enigma. She was both the woman who had stood by as tanks rolled across Whitehall in 1968, and at the same time the woman who rescued British democracy in 2009. At 90 years old she was the longest reigning monarch in British history, but the last few years of her time on the throne had been riddled with scandal and doubt. Her realm had cracked apart as radical separatists seized power in Scotland, unemployment reached an all-time high, and the two party system collapsed. Questions were still asked about just how much knowledge the Queen had of the 2009 coup, and allegations of corruption, bullying and even sexual abuse surrounded the Royal Household. In 2014 for the first time ever the Queen’s approval rating had fallen into the negatives with a minus one approval rating on average.

There were also questions of the Queen’s health and age, being the longest serving monarch in British history. She had been brought into hospital over a dozen times in the last year alone, most notably with a nasty flare of gastroenteritis. This led to her frequently missing important engagements, and when she was seen in public she walked with the aid of a stick. Charles had been frequently filling in for his mother, especially on trips abroad to swear in the Governor-General of various Commonwealth realms. The Queen had not been abroad since a visit to the Republic of Ireland in 2011 and hadn’t left the British Isles on a long-haul journey since 2010.

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Nearly 40% of voters supported an elected head of state

In a televised address to the nation Prime Minister William Hague told the world Britain’s old reigning monarch was planning to abdicate in favour of the Prince of Wales. In his speech Hague hailed Queen Elizabeth as a “tireless defender of the British people” and as “the best symbol for peaceful coexistence”. Hague welcomed the accession of Elizabeth’s son as someone who would “open a new era of hope combining his acquired experience and the drive of a new generation”. It was true Elizabeth had been a linchpin of British society, overseeing the end of World War Two, the end of Empire, the 1968 coup and a return to democracy. Now she followed a wave of European monarchs including Pope Benedict XVI, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, King Juan-Carlos of Spain and King Albert II of Belgium to abdicate.

“If kings and queens are able to savour the best things in life, why shouldn't they retire, too? It does happen, as the world saw Monday. Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom became the latest royal to say she's stepping down. It's "time to hand over to a new generation," the 90-year-old announced in a televised address, declaring that she's leaving the job. Her son, Prince Charles, 67, will take over. In January 2013, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands passed the crown to her son Prince Willem-Alexander. He was 46 at the time. In July 2013, King Albert II of Belgium gave up his kingship, reportedly over concerns that he was too old to carry out his duties. Even the Pope didn't want to keep working, an unprecedented "I quit" came in 2013 when the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict XVI was leaving the papacy.”
- Royal’s Quit Across Europe, CNN Bulletin (2015)

Charles wasn’t exempt from controversy either, unlike Elizabeth, Charles was outspoken on many political issues, most notably the environment and homoeopathic medicine. There was also Charles’ personal closeness to First Lord Mountbatten, who had been a mentor and a father figure to Charles - even trying to arrange a marriage with his daughter. Charles was a much more outspoken figure in comparison to his mother, and immediately drew criticism for some on the left for his proximity to Mountbatten. Some within the Palace even suggested skipping a generation for Prince William for a post-Junta Monarch. But no laws would be changed - the crown would go to Charles.

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The wave of abdications was indications for some that monarchies as a global institution were dying

30,000 protesters would descend on London to demand a referendum on the monarchy, waving the red, white and green flag of the Chartist movement. A petition for a republican referendum organised by radical left parties received over 160,000 signatures. Robbie Parkin, Director of Campaign Against the Monarchy told protesters “now is the time for the system to change”. “We want to give a voice to the people, why is it a problem to organise a referendum? Why is it a problem to give the people the right to decide their future?” added Bell Ribiero-Addy of the People’s Party. The protests were overwhelmingly dominated by the young post-Junta citizens, with polls showing Elizabeth had an approval rating of -41 among under 24s.

The abdication risked constitutional tinkering beyond the head of state, for national separatists Elizabeth’s departure presented an opportunity. President of Scotland Patrick Harvie announced the change in leadership meant Scotland would forge ahead with a push for independence. Harvie announced the Scottish Government would formally request the right to hold a referendum on independence in 2016, but if this request was rejected the Scottish Executive would forge ahead with a unilateral referendum organised by the Scottish Government itself. Charles had a strong disapproval rating in Scotland due to his closeness with Mountbatten and various gaffes during visits in the region including declaring he couldn’t “understand Scots after 5pm as they’ve had too much to drink”. Poor Charles hadn’t even sat on the throne yet and already everyone was having a pop.

“Lawmakers in Britain approved on Wednesday an abdication law that paves the way for Prince Charles to ascend to the throne. But the parliamentary debate also highlighted the political tensions that await Charles. Scottish lawmakers abstained from the vote, calling on the Prince to endorse their plan to hold a referendum on independence. The debate was also disrupted by left-wing parliamentarians, demanding a referendum on the monarchy. William Hague praised Elizabeth, particularly for serving as the “skilful pilot of our democratic transition". A decade later, Charles was taking over with the clear backing of British society, Mr. Hague said. “Never in the history of the past two centuries has a succession taken place with such normality as this one,” he added.” - British Lawmakers Clear Way for Queen’s Abdication, Raphael Minder, New York Times (2013)

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Two of Britain's last three monarchs had abdicated
 
Chapter 80: Menai Bridge
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The Palace was besieged by abuse and corruption rumours

“No other European royal families, nor any heads of state, will attend Charles' coronation ceremony. “We have very little time, and there is no room in the benches of the Lords or the gallery,” explained a Royal Household spokesperson on Thursday. “We aren’t going to make people come to leave them outside.” There will be military honours outside Parliament, and Charles will attend the ceremony in his military uniform. Buckingham Palace has yet to confirm which members of the royal family will be present at the September 30th ceremony. Nor have they confirmed whether the current Queen will attend. There are intense media intentions as to whether Prince Andrew will be present, given that he is currently caught up in a impropriety scandal.”
- Coronation of Charles III to take place without presence of foreign royals, BBC News Bulletin (2015)

Charles the Third’s coronation was notably asture compared to the coronation ceremonies of previous monarchs. Extravagances were kept to a relative minimum, with a small guest list of a few hundred and invitations not extended to foreign royals. The more low-key coronation was a sign of the monarchy’s weakened position in this time of transition, with Britain still deep in the throes of austerity the Palace didn’t want to court public outrage with a lavish coronation ceremony as unemployment remained in the high 20s. As one commentator put it “if you ask young people if they want the monarchy or jobs they’ll answer jobs”. Even amongst Britain’s royalists Charles still had to prove himself, with many being Elizabethans rather than hardcore monarchists.

Clad in full military uniform, Charles attended the handover ceremony in Westminster, where he swore to protect the British people, as well as to execute law, justice and mercy to the best of his ability. A military parade then took the new King and his family through the streets of London, eventually arriving at Buckingham Palace, where both generations of British royalty waved to crowds. The procession was surrounded at every turn by both monarchist supporters and republican protesters, with some sporadic violence breaking out along Charles’ route. Charles’ hopes to win the hearts and minds of the British people met the reality of a severely divided public.

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Questions over an elected head of state added to a long list of debates engulfing the country

The subdued ceremony did anger some of the right of British politics, the Express editorial wrote of the coronation: "the policy of austerity has been carried out to such an extent that it has been confused with keeping a low profile," said the pro-royal paper. "There is no similarity with the brilliance with which other countries have celebrated their handovers. These were events in which they took the opportunity to present their best image to the world and get a huge payoff," the article added. Being both a divorcee and an open environmentalist also fuelled distrust towards Charles from conservative and Anglican groups. Right-wing commentators like Andrew Roberts called on Charles to take a harder line against separatists and radical parties in defence of the duopoly status-quo.

“We must defend the rights of our citizens and promote our interests, seeking greater participation in the global agenda. Honourable Members in my remarks today, I have sought to convey to you my convictions on the Britain which I love. I wish to thank the British people for the support and affection I have received on so many occasions. My belief in our future is based on my faith in British society. It is mature and vigorous, responsible and caring, a society that is showing great fortitude. Honourable Members, we have a great country; we are a great nation, let us believe and trust in her. "I am proud of the British people and nothing would honour me more than if, through my work, I could make the people of Britain proud of their new King.” - Charles’ Speech to Parliament (2015)

In Charles' coronation speech Charles paid homage to his mother’s “extraordinary” legacy over six decades. He also spoke of the need for a monarch to unify the country in a nod to the raging independence debates in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In addressing the scandals facing the Palace Charles said as King he would strive to set an example of “transparent and honest behaviour”. The main theme however of Charles' speech was the ideal of moving forward, despite Britain's economic woes Charles called on MPs to “look forward to the United Kingdom we will build together”. Whilst his speech was met well by most, with a standing ovation from MPs, several political leaders in attendance, most notably Diane Abbott, Patrick Harvie and Dafydd Jones refused to applaud.

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Charles now had to justify his existence to a sceptical public

Charles had quite the in-tray going into Buckingham Palace. Whilst he was unlikely to face a military uprising or a mass armed insurgency like his mother, he still had to forge a new identity in the face of a deeply divided nation. With faith in the government at an all time low and the Royal Family seen as corrupt Charles had to prove himself whiter than white, one foot wrong during this tenuous transition could spell doom for the entire institution. His largest challenge however would be as defender of the union, Prime Minister William Hague had already shot down Scottish President Patrick Harvie’s call for a legal independence referendum, and a unilateral referendum was looking increasingly likely.

Charles also had to square the monarchy’s role as symbols of British history, a bloody, divisive history where the scars were just beginning to heal. Memes regarding Charles’ close friendship with First Lord Mountbatten were already circulating on social media. Charles hopes to be a political peacemaker would always be constrained by these images, distrusted by the radical left and Celtic separatists. With the elections scheduled next year looking increasingly like a four or five way battle, such a peacemaker would be more valuable than ever. In the event of no clear election winner, it would be Charles' job to call for a Prime Minister and guide him in forming a government. With a fragmented parliament and an activist on the throne, Charles could be the most influential King in modern times.

“King Charles faces a daunting array of challenges after becoming king last Wednesday. Some are the consequence of the severe economic crisis endured over the past six years, which has resulted in extreme social hardship. As his mother, Elizabeth admitted in her abdication speech, the crisis has inflicted very deep scars, which will not heal overnight. The crisis has also fuelled public disaffection with Britain's major institutions. Elizabeth herself has acknowledged as much by stating that her abdication was meant to pave the way for "reforms''. Like his mother, the king will have very limited political powers, British politics will still depend on the major party leaders. But, the monarch arbitrates British institutions, which allows him to nudge political leaders.” - Charles faces daunting challenges as king, Raphael Minder, New York Times (2015)

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Pundits expected Charles to be more active in politics and campaigning then his mother
 
Great job with this update - it was always going to be difficult addressing the transition, particularly this close to the end of a dictatorship, so we'll see how it goes with the election and all.
 
Great update! NGL, had a brief moment of "year-of-three-monarchs" panic when you named the chapter "Menai Bridge". Can't believe the madlad actually went with the regnal name "Charles III", since nothing bad has ever happened to British kings name Charles.
 
Am currently catching up to this TL, I was wondering how Harold Wilson is viewed in post-Junta Britain? Is he idolized by people (similar to how Salvador Allende is viewed in OTL in Chile)? What's the deal?
 
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Am currently catching up to this TL, I was wondering how Harold Wilson is viewed in post-Junta Britain? Is he idolized by people (similar to how Salvador Allende is viewed in OTL in Chile)? What's the deal?
Depends on your political persuasion. Wilson is viewed fondly by most in the centre and left of the UK, and like Allende he has become a martyr for the international left. Of course for those in Conservative circles Wilson is still seen as a communist and a traitor - but yes the Allende comparison is apt.
 
Chapter 81: Tribune
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Meacher's death was an omen for his party

“Michael Meacher, leader of the Socialist Alternative has died aged 75 after a short illness. Meacher was born in Hertfordshire and educated at Oxford University. He worked as a researcher and lecturer before his arrest as a political prisoner in 1974. During his time in Belmarsh he met others who would go on to found the Alternative including long-time ally John McDonnell. When democracy returned in 2005 he was elected as an MP for Merseyside and became a leading member of the Alternative. Alan Johnson was among politicians paying tribute to Meacher, describing him as “principled and kind". John McDonnell, the Alternative's founder said: “Michael was a prodigious writer, who campaigned for social justice throughout his life. “His commitment to ending poverty marked him out as a tribune of the people."
- Alternative Leader Michael Meacher dies aged 75, Associated Press (2015)

Michael Meacher's death was a tragedy, the end of an era and all the other ways journalists described his passing their obituary. But for the Socialist Alternative above all it was bloody inconvenient. Meacher had been elected leader back in the day as the only man able to hold the Alternative’s warring factions together. Even in the rising tide of the People’s Party, brutal austerity and National’s return to power Meacher was able to keep the show on the road. Despite the fact the Alternative was polling a fifth of voters the People’s Party was reaching, only one Alternative MP had jumped ship, mostly down to Meacher’s iron discipline within the party.

Well now Meacher was dead and old arguments threatened to tear the alternative apart, the main issue being the People’s Party. On one hand some in the Alternative wanted to build a leftist alliance with the People’s Party, giving the radical left a real shot at leading a government for the first time in history. On the other hand were the hardliners who wanted to keep the People’s Party at an arm’s length and the Communist Party firmly in control of their coalition. Meacher had of course ridden both horses at the same time, working with the People’s Party but swearing off any formal agreement, well no-one needed reminding that Meacher was dead.

Forces within the Alternative had long been pushing for it’s decentralisation and democratisation in the face of it’s collapsing support. Young voters, once the party’s base, had abandoned the Alternative in droves to support the People’s Party. Younger voters increasingly saw the Alternative as a party of old men blinded by nostalgia and unable to move on from the glory days of Junta resistance. Historic support for the Social Democrats under John McDonnell and constant infighting within the Alternative’s various parties had only strengthened the electorate’s distrust of the Alternative, who were going from the UK’s third largest party to the verge of oblivion.

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Abbott wanted to bring the Alternative into the 21st century

In fact a lot of the Alternative’s leadership, mostly old men, had been swept aside by the annals of time; Bob Crow had died in 2014, both Dennis Skinner and Ken Loach were well into their 80s. Deputy Leader Diane Abbott seemed Meacher’s natural successor but she was distrusted by the dominant Communist Party for her closeness to the People’s Party. In announcing her bid for party leader, Abbott called on the Alternative to take a more pluralistic approach to politics, working with other left wing parties including the People’s Party and RISE, she condemned “conservative” elements within the coalition, declaring they were holding the left back.

“We want to recover politics as an instrument and not as a show. We are not interested in knowing the private tastes of politicians, we want to deliberate on political projects. For this, we are committed to democratic institutions that preserve plurality and value social justice. In short, our plan is a new country that gives back to the people the ability to govern themselves. To do so, we propose a constituent process that, in a participatory way, will create a new Constitution. With a proportional electoral system and Popular Legislative Initiatives that can create law. A federal country designed by and for the popular classes. And, of course, a Republic. A decade after the Cardiff Accords, it is time to open a new stage. It is about our lives and how we want to live them. We have an opportunity together to begin this journey.” - Diane Abbott Rally Speech (2015)

Ken Livingstone would emerge as Abbott’s main challenger after other leading figures from the hard-line faction of the party like Robert Griffiths and Dave Nellist ruled themselves out. Livingstone declared himself the “candidate of our party’s history” warning Abbott would turn the Alternative into the “Ribeiro party”. Livingstone emphasised the need for a “stridently anti-imperialist voice in British politics'', in comparison to the People’s Party who held relatively vague views on issues such as NATO and Palestinian liberation due to their populist politics and diverse internal coalition. Unfortunately for Livingstone he had just as many enemies as Abbott, with many even within his own Communist Party refusing to back his candidacy. Fellow hardliner Dennis Skinner refused to endorse either candidate, describing Livingstone as having an “ego as big as a house”.

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Skinner turning on Livingstone marked a turning point in the campaign

Several other leading figures seemed to agree with Skinner as the hardliner’s support collapsed. Facing electoral oblivion outside of the People’s Party tend, dozens of MPs, delegates and trade unions declared their support for Abbott. Without Meacher holding the Communist Party together it split into dozens of factions with nearly half of the Communist delegates voting for Abbott over the party’s officially sanctioned man. The Communist Party who had dominated resistance to the Junta, then dominated the Socialist Alternative and radical left, had its power irreversibly broken. Diane Abbott was elected by delegates in a landslide as leader of the Alternative, and her first act was to reach out to the People’s Party to arrange a pact.

If a popular
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alliance of left wing parties could be formed, it faced real prospects of becoming Britain’s main opposition party, or even it’s largest party on a good election night. Polls showed a left-wing alliance winning around 150 seats in the event of a snap election, even more so if the pact extended to RISE or Forward Wales. Pundits already began to speak of Britain as being the next domino to fall in the Syriza wave following Greece. On paper the two nations had a lot of similarities, former military Junta, EU bailout, divided centre and strong radical left. Even if a joint list couldn’t be agreed, a non-aggression pact between the two forces of the radical left was a real threat to the political establishment.

“There is unlikely to be an immediate ‘Syriza’ surge elsewhere in Europe. Only in Britain, Spain or Denmark are we likely to see dramatic gains for the radical left in upcoming elections. The UK's People's Party is often portrayed as the next Syriza, and indeed the party even possesses some advantages over Syriza (such as a more charismatic leader in Bell Ribeiro-Addy). That said, the barriers are still formidable and the presence of the established Alternative party is likely to complicate matters further. Indeed, the People's Party's early poll rise has started to stall. In the longer run Syriza’s victory can have a galvanising effect elsewhere, as indeed it already has. But sustaining this effect will depend on the performance of the Syriza government.” - Sustaining the Syriza surge, Lecture by Luke March, London School of Economics (2015)

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Activists dreamed of a British Syriza
 
I had a dream about this timeline last night.

I dreamed that I was in Glasgow as one First Lord was replaced by another. The city was deeply uneasy and many thought revolution was on the horizon. Eventually, the tide broke, people came out onto the streets with red flags, and 'the revolution' began. In reality, though it was just a ploy by one part of the Junta to take control of the country. They had used agitators to stir up trouble and then used said trouble to show that the current First Lord wasn't capable of controlling the masses. As the new First Lord was sworn in the military soon began easily beating back the protesters and arresting them. Many disappeared, never to be seen again.

But folk always remembered the failed uprising and, rather than be disheartened by their failure, they talked about whether you'd been there, on the streets, been part of the crowd, and had heard the songs. Whether you bore the scars and had been part of something that was greater than yourself. And when finally the regime did fall, those who had been just bairns when the city nearly fell the first time were at the forefront.

One particular part of the dream is a crowd of people shouting 'we want Thatcher! We want Thatcher!' but I don't have an explanation for that. x'D I re-read the Nightwatch by Terry Pratchett last month, which I'm sure had something to do with the dream.
 
Chapter 82: Natives
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Mob violence made a return in the lead up to the election

“In the space of a couple of weeks Britain's largest shopping mall has been targeted in a bomb attack and gunmen have fired on the headquarters of the ruling National party. Now fears are mounting that Britain's fragile political stability could be shattered. "The government is very, very concerned," said a senior aide to William Hague. "Political stability is essential to getting through the year." In a nation that thought the spectre of terrorism had been laid to rest the resurgence of political violence has put authorities on edge. In a bid to limit the influence of far-right extremists, the conservative National Party has given added emphasis to law and order. "The police, by cracking down, are attempting to reclaim the law and order mantle," says former US diplomat Brady Kiesling.”
- Britain’s fragile political stability at risk as violence escalates, NPR News (2016)

Britain had seen a steady decline in political violence since the attempted coup of 2009. With all parties seeking to lower the temperature of debate and dismissing assassinations or paramilitary movements as legitimate forms of political action. This was also the result of a generation shift as men like John McDonnell, Tommy Sheridan, who had once been paramilitaries, lost control of their parties to younger leaders with less storied pasts. In 2015 there were only 55 reported incidents of political violence, down from the over 2,000 incidents in 2005. The Red Brigades had almost entirely collapsed, and the momentum behind Scottish Independence had forced the SNLA into a dormant period. Of these 55 incidents most were between rival political activists and paramilitaries rather than targeting elected officials. With growing security for elected officials, a sitting British politician hadn’t been assassinated since 2009, a record for the nation.

The murder of Kingslee Daley, better known by his stage name Akala, shattered this peace. Daley had been mobbed and stabbed by a group of nearly 60 paramilitaries whilst watching a football match in Kentish Town. Eyewitnesses reported a pair of nearby police officers doing nothing to stop the attack, with debates on whether the officers were complicit, or simply overwhelmed. The attackers were believed to be part of Civil Assistance, and had targeted Daley for his outspoken anti-facist and anti-racist views. In the day’s following Daley’s assassinations Daley’s murderer, 48 year old George Roberts, would be arrested and brought to justice.

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Civil Assistance would harass refugees in port towns like Dover and Medway

Police investigations discovered Roberts was a supporter of the far-right Centrists party, and had even been employed by the party as a cleaner in their London head office. In the weeks directly following Daley’s death political violence would flare once again, armed masked men would invade the Centrist’s head office killing nearly a dozen staffers in retribution for Daley’s death. Violence wasn’t the only form of direct political action as a United Left Social Club in Croydon was burnt down in the night. Forces on the left accused the police of allowing Civil Assistance to act unimpeded with Searchlight Director Ruth Smeeth telling reporters “Civil Assistance is enjoying complete asylum from the police.”

“Police have arrested a colleague who has been volunteering as a fighter for Civil Assistance, during a raid on its safe-houses. The officer has been suspended since last year, suspected of joining attacks on immigrant market stalls. There is intense scrutiny of perceived links between the paramilitary and police. The group is also under pressure after the killing of a left-wing activist, by a Civil Assistance supporter. After the fatal stabbing of Akala, 31, last week, Prime Minister William Hague vowed not to let CA "undermine" democracy. Two senior police officials have resigned in the wake of that incident. Police have also recently been criticised for not investigating CA over violent incidents and the keeping of weapons. In a raid on a safe-house in Reading on Tuesday, authorities said wooden bats and shotgun cartridges were found.” - Police officer held in Civil Assistance raid, BBC News Bulletin (2016)

With the election purdah period only weeks away the police announced a crackdown on Civil Assistance and other paramilitary groups. Nearly 500 accused members of Civil Assistance were arrested, embarrassingly for the Centrists who had been polling well enough to enter the Commons, a handful of those arrested were party members, including one Westminster candidate for the party. Whilst police refused to investigate the Centrists, citing a lack of evidence, the incident deeply wounded the party who had been working so hard to scrub any connection to the paramilitary far right from their brand. In response to the controversy Godfrey Bloom, one of the Centrist’s founders and former leader of the NNP was expelled from the party.

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There were rumours of a leadership challenge to Burnham who was third in preferred Prime Minister polling

Britain’s democracy was at its most unstable point since the 2009 coup. With third parties like the People’s Party, Unity, RISE and the Centrists seeing their support explode, polls showed a parliament divided between dozens of parties, with three or four parties needed to form the slimmest of majorities. Even within the duopoly there was trouble, as both William Hague and Andy Burnham faced increasingly vocal critics from their own backbenches. As one National MP darkly predicted “the knives will come out after the elections, both figuratively and literally”.

Daley’s death also deeply struck the music community, whilst British music had always been political, the songs of the left had given way from 70s folk anthems to grime and other forms of underground music. Led by artists such as Novelist, M.I.A, Jme and Stormzy a group called Grime4Hope was set up to organise communities against facism and encourage young people to vote. More than 50 stars would record as part of a tribute single to Akala titled “I Won’t Cry”. The song reached the number one UK spot in iTunes two hours after it’s release, raising several million euros in a few short days. Electoral Commission figures also reported a record increase in voter registration after Akala’s death, with nearly a million signing up to vote in one month.

“Daley's sister Niomi nonetheless says she regrets the widespread reduction of Akala to an anti-fascist musician. “So many people focus on the songs about his anti-fascist actions,” he says, frustrated. “Kingslee was not only that, although he was [an anti-fascist]. He had songs about friendship, family, life and what to do with society. He was the type of person who would help you with anything.” Back in her home, Niomi says her family will continue to fight despite feeling that no legal measures will provide justice. “What we do is for everyone who is still out there,” she maintains. “Like we lost Kingslee, someone else may be killed in the same way.” She concludes: “Kingslee died as a free man who tried to kill fear that night. He stayed back to defend his friends, and he may have known that it would cost him his life.” - UK mourns slain anti-fascist rapper Kingslee Daley, Patrick Strickland, Al Jazerra

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Several notable black activists emigrated after Akala's death, not wanting to be martyrs
 
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Now that you mention football I don't recall it being mentioned much. Is anything very different? I can see the dictatorship making uniting the different leagues and maybe even the FAs into one
 
Now that you mention football I don't recall it being mentioned much. Is anything very different? I can see the dictatorship making uniting the different leagues and maybe even the FAs into one
I haven't gone into a huge amount of detail as I confess I don't know a huge amount around the history of football. What I can say is football has become a lot more politicised, similar to leagues like Italy, with clear leftist and conservative teams. As for further details I'm happy to let someone more knowledgeable than me develop a head-cannon
 
I haven't gone into a huge amount of detail as I confess I don't know a huge amount around the history of football. What I can say is football has become a lot more politicised, similar to leagues like Italy, with clear leftist and conservative teams. As for further details I'm happy to let someone more knowledgeable than me develop a head-cannon
The Premier League almost certainly won't have been set up as in OTL, as that occurred in 1992 when the Junta was still in power.
 
A premier league equivalent is likely to develop somewhere as there is just too much money not to be made from football. France or Spain seem most likely in this tl.
 
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