New Britain (My Latest Attempt at a TL)

[Fletch]

Interesting to see the Commonwealth moving away from Britain. And the BNP advocating joining the EU...

Someone noticed!

The BNP in this are not the racist crackpots of our timeline.

They are dissident right-wing Tories who split along with the Christian Democrats to form their own party. This has been one reason Labour have had a couple of landslide victories, and they are attempting to form an alliance with the Christian Democrats.

 

[Fletch]

Britain. Febuary 12th 1999

fillerfiller

Let the People Decide.

Britain had been through a lot in the twentieth century, two world wars, the second leading to a prolonged cold war which exists in a fashion to the current day, the evolution of the Commonwealth to a more equal partnership of nations and the gradual decline in influence politically.

This only tells part of the story though. Britain by 1999 is a nation at ease with itself and with its place in the world. Even the more strident Commonwealth-sceptic could not fail to notice how the United Kingdom is still seen as a beacon of freedom for the peoples of Europe. Its population by now stands at some 65 million people. Much of this is due to mass immigration of the peoples of the Commonwealth.

In the city, you are now as likely to see an businessman born and raised in the Raj as a person born in the UK. London stands as the centre of trade for the Commonwealth, and therefore the world. Admittedly, pressure from Delhi is leading to a second financial centre, but it still has a long way to capture London.

The North East of England stands as a beacon for good governance, with over the past 25 years its executive and assembly investing its bonanza of natural gas and oil from the north sea into supporting the declining mining industry and investing in alternative routes for investment for the region. Only two years ago, Puma opened their largest factory in Newcastle. This would not have happened without local executive support.

Scotland fares just as well since the discovery of north sea oil. The Scottish Assemblys decision to set up a Scottish Oil Fund has meant that the profits from the oil will last the Scots for generations after the oil runs out.

Perhaps the greatest triumph though has been in Northern Ireland, where serious conflict has been averted. The province now is thriving, with Belfast now being one of the top tourist destinations in the UK. The communities now live in peace.

Think of all we have achieved.

India may be taking over as the leading economic and political power in the Commonwealth, but for Britain to leave would be an act of unpardonable folly. Britains future rests on the next election. Should the Christian Democrat/British National Party gain an election victory in may, we would be reduced to a minor player, on a par with the French within the EC and outside our natural home with our family of Commonwealth brothers and sisters.

This is not a fate which we deserve. The people will decide.

 

[DAv]

Pretty good as filler goes. And what on Earth is a courant?

 

[Fletch]

Pretty good as filler goes. And what on Earth is a courant?

A late 17th/early 18th century Edinburgh newspaper. I decided to revive it during this tl.

 

[birdy]

Pretty good as filler goes. quote]

Seconded,

 

[Fletch]

16th Febuary 1999, the Commonwealth Globe

A Nation Mourns.



Yesterday, the Prime Minister, Tony Blair was assasinated whilst he was visiting the Puma Car Factory in Newcastle. The as yet unnamed gunman was said to hold extreme right wing views, and was, we believe a member of the extremist right wing organization, the British way. Mr Blair was the second Premier this century to fall victim to such horrible fate.

The shooting happened as the Prime Minister left the factory grounds, the gunman was perched on the roof. The incident was all the more shocking as television cameras were present. An agreement has been reached by all British broadcasters that the footage will not be shown. Condolences have been sent by the leader of the Conservatives, Francis Maude, the Liberals in David Steel and of the BNP/CD alliance in Ian Paisley. Dr Paisley said that Mr Blair was "in his mind and in his prayers."

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown made a moving statement over the fate of the Prime Minister, urging calm, quoting from the greek poet Aeschylus;

"Pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God."

The Deputy Prime Minister, Robin Cook has taken office until a leadership contest within the Labour Party can be arranged. The effects on the forthcoming General Election are unknown. At such times, the nation can be forgiven for not caring about such trivial matters as mere politics though. We have lost our leader.

A Nation mourns.

 

[birdy]

Wow.

Interesting turn of events.

 

[DAv]

You enjoyed writing that didn't you? A great twist I must admit.

 

[Jammy]

agreed wow this has taken quite a twist - wonder what cook will be like

 

[bigjoe90]

British Rail in TTL

Hi, I'm new to this forum and this is my first post.

Loving TTL but I'm only up to 1970 so far. Can I ask, it mentions a re-organisation of British Rail, has there been an equivalent of the Beeching Report and it's implementation in TTL?

 

[Fletch]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and this is my first post.

Loving TTL but I'm only up to 1970 so far. Can I ask, it mentions a re-organisation of British Rail, has there been an equivalent of the Beeching Report and it's implementation in TTL?

Instead of the Beeching style cuts, there was a gradual decline. Wilsons Government was subsidising the building of the railway lines and of the railway companies running on them in a hope to give Britain a first class rail network.

BTW Welcome to the forum.

 

[Fletch]

Febuary 17th 1999.

Gordon Brown met the leaders of the TUC in private on the 17th, to argue his case to be the next leader of the Labour Party. He did so in the knowledge that two other candidates were ready to stand, Robin Cook and Harriet Jones. After a two hour meeting he extracted support from the leading TUC figures, despite reservations of many of them, to support his leadership campaign.

He already had the backing of thirty Labour MPs, and as such made an announcement that the following day he would declare himself as candidate for Leader of the Labour Party and next Prime Minister.

Robin Cook was in talks with the First Secretary of the Commonwealth, Behari Vajpayee over UK/Commonwealth relations with the EC, and during the press conference stated that he would certainly be standing.

Harriet Jones was the wildcard candidate. She was from the left of the party, and advocated a move to turn Britain into an asocciate member of the Commonwealth and full entry into the EC. She openly backed leaving the Commonwealth Pound. She was most famous for being the Welsh First Minister who pushed through the nationalisation of Welsh Railways despite the disaproval of Westminster. She had the backing of most the Welsh MPs and several of the older members. There was general surprise the Unions backed Brown over her.

Handleys, the leading bookmaker in the Commonwealth placed odds on the next leader of the Labour Party as;

Gordon Brown 4/6
Robin Cook 3/1
Harriet Jones 10/1
Others... 25/1+

Brown was the clear favourite.

Whilst the Labour Party was making moves to elect a new leader, at Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, the Marquis of Ailsa called together the leaders of the Conservatives, the BNP and the Christian Democrats to a secret meeting. He feared that unless there was some agreement or form of unity between the Conservatives and the Proggresive alliance pairing then Labour were guaranteed a victory in May.

At the meeting, it was agreed that in seats where the Christian Democrat or BNP candidate was closest to the Labour or Liberal Candidate and within 2,000 votes, the Conservatives would reeduce campaigning in said Constituency. To return the favour, the BNP and CDP agreed to stand aside if the situation was reversed. Should the agreement bear fruit, the Conservatives and CDP/BNP stood to gain a majority combined. The rest of the day was spent discussing potential coalition deals. In one of his final acts as Labour Leader, Blair agreed a similar deal between Labour and the Liberals.


The situation was in the air. Within four months, the country would have a new elected Government, the shade undecided.

 

[birdy]

never heard of Harriet Jones, thought she was just a Dr Who character.

 

[Fletch]

never heard of Harriet Jones, thought she was just a Dr Who character.

In OTL she is....

Just thought of a name at random. She never entered politics in otl. in ttl she has been a succesful government politician. Health Secretary....

 

[DAv]

Going to be interesting to see how this turns out. If Harriet Jones loses, could she and the left wing of the Labour Party defect to the Socialists?

 

[Fletch]

Febuary 24th 1999

The day after the funeral of Tony Blair, Robin Cook and Gordon Brown made a deal. Cook would stand aside so that Brown would become the new Prime Minister. The deal left Jones in the cold and consolidated Browns position. On 24th Febuary, Gordon Brown was effectively handed the keys to number 10 Downing Street, on the understanding that Robin Cook would become Chancellor.

Jones, aware that she now faced certain defeat refused to step down. She was the last bastion of old style crown socialism left in the Labour Party. She was going to go down fighting.

The murderer of the Prime Minister, a Paul Jones from Hexham went on trial in Newcastle on the same day. The trial attracted both far right and anti-nazi protesters. Consideration was placed that the area near the court be cleared, but rejected.

In Germany, news of mass protests against food shortages in Berlin started to seep out. The German Government made a point of stating any opposition would be treated harshly. Europe went on to a heightened state of alert.

News of a serial killer struck whitechapel in London, when in the space of a month five women were murdered. On 24th Febuary, police stated that the killings were linked. The nation needed a leader.

 

[Fletch]

March 3rd 1999

Gordon Brown was announced the new leader of the Labour Party and the new Prime Minister on March 3rd 1999. The defeated candidate, Harriet Jones, accepted defeat, but vowed to continue to fight on for Socialism inside the Labour Party. Brown gained 87% of the vote.

His acceptance speech called for Labour to rally. In his speech he called for a general election on May 3rd, 1999. Oasis played in Machester that night.

 

[Fletch]

General Election Day.

May 3rd was a bright and sunny spring day. The people in their masses went to the polling booths one more time to vote for the candidate of their choice. Ahead of them lay the future of Britain. Their choice would shape the future. The options ahead of them were numerous. What ever way they would vote, they would vote for a better future, either for themselves, their families, their communities or their nation.

The world was so different and yet so similar to how it could have been. Would Eric Morcambe and Ernie Wise have made it succesful in any other time? Would Sir JR Hartley have become Prime Minister? Their choices influenced Britains century.

Now it was up to them, the British people, to construct a new century. A New Britain. Little by little they would.

What more is there to say?

The End.

 

[DAv]

It's finished? A great TL there it must be said with a nice little twist at the end. Would have liked to have seen it go on a bit longer (Until 200 say) but a great read nonetheless. Kudos!

 

[David bar Elias]

Very good TL!