TLIAD: "Wheear 'ast tha bin sin' ah saw thee?"

LancyIain · Nov 20, 2014

I am grinning so much at the moment. Someday after work I really need to pop into The Speaker. I don't expect to find a LibDem version of you watching Question Time with BG though.

Very enjoyable to read. A very interesting take on a very unevenly devolved UK. Turkmenistan seems a bit of an odd choice for air strikes though. Do you have something against the place?

Alex Richards · Nov 20, 2014

Independent Cornwall

How... did that happen?

Utgard96 · Nov 20, 2014

And more importantly, wouldn't an independent Cornwall be part of the Common Travel Area?

Meadow · Nov 20, 2014

Ares96 said:
And more importantly, wouldn't an independent Cornwall be part of the Common Travel Area?

Not if it refuses to knock down the Anti-Devonian Protection Rampart.

A tour de force, Jack - your personal journey to the Orange Bastards makes perfect sense, as ITTL they aren't in Coalition (though I question whether Beaker would ever become leader in such a scenario) and thus could still have a sizeable centre-left contingent - at least publicly - and appeal to you.

John Healey as Basically Carwyn Jones was everything I hoped for. And it's good to see BG is with us in spirit, if only in an ATL.

The last line is utterly brilliant and turns the expectations we have about this world completely on their heads. However, you didn't seed it throughout the story, so I am going to kill myself. kidding

A fine addition to the TLIAD canon, and particularly this newest 'Benny Moss' branch of them. Very well done.

Thande · Nov 20, 2014

Ares96 said:
And more importantly, wouldn't an independent Cornwall be part of the Common Travel Area?

Stop using logic and reason!

If you want to spoil the fun, it could just be a jokey sign-off, like people here talk about needing their passport before they go to London.

Smashing TLIAD, Jack. I liked all the butterflies like UKIP being a rather different kind of party and of course the Germany/Austria-Hungary thing Meadow mentioned.

A bit alarming to see Mid Staffs transposed to the Northern General, not least because it's just round the corner from where I work...if they were going to have a scandal, in my experience it would be their ambulance drivers getting people killed on the roundabout (though admittedly all the other drivers are just as determined).

Lord Roem · Nov 20, 2014

Meadow said:
Not if it refuses to knock down the Anti-Devonian Protection Rampart.

A tour de force, Jack - your personal journey to the Orange Bastards makes perfect sense, as ITTL they aren't in Coalition (though I question whether Beaker would ever become leader in such a scenario) and thus could still have a sizeable centre-left contingent - at least publicly - and appeal to you.

John Healey as Basically Carwyn Jones was everything I hoped for. And it's good to see BG is with us in spirit, if only in an ATL.

The last line is utterly brilliant and turns the expectations we have about this world completely on their heads. However, you didn't seed it throughout the story, so I am going to kill myself. kidding

A fine addition to the TLIAD canon, and particularly this newest 'Benny Moss' branch of them. Very well done.

Cheers Tom - very much appreciated!

This was a fun little TLIAD that came to me when we were discussing 'Zonen' over the weekend, it was very much one that I was writing on the hoof, and I entirely understand that I was free-styling it at points - but that is one of the nice things about the format, especially in terms of 'seeding' ideas hither and dither. The Sked bit, incidentally, was the most fun I've had in writing something in quite some time.

I never said which Alexander was leading the Orange Bastards...

Nevertheless, many thanks for being such a fan - it's very much appreciated.

Thande said:
Stop using logic and reason!

If you want to spoil the fun, it could just be a jokey sign-off, like people here talk about needing their passport before they go to London.

Smashing TLIAD, Jack. I liked all the butterflies like UKIP being a rather different kind of party and of course the Germany/Austria-Hungary thing Meadow mentioned.

A bit alarming to see Mid Staffs transposed to the Northern General, not least because it's just round the corner from where I work...if they were going to have a scandal, in my experience it would be their ambulance drivers getting people killed on the roundabout (though admittedly all the other drivers are just as determined).

Many thanks Thande - it's always wonderful to get positive feedback!

I did intend the last line to be a 'Northern Sign-Off' - I think we've both heard the jokes about needing a visa to go across the Pennines! If people want, they can make it canon, but I wasn't really intending to bring about the Balkanisation of the United Kingdom, despite what my old tutor said!

The Northern General bit was not intended to be anything other than a 'zomg butterflies' bit, I assure you that no offence was intended (my dad had his knees replaced there - he speaks very highly of the place!)

Meadow · Nov 20, 2014

I'm not Thande.

Thande · Nov 20, 2014

Lord Roem said:
The Northern General bit was not intended to be anything other than a 'zomg butterflies' bit, I assure you that no offence was intended (my dad had his knees replaced there - he speaks very highly of the place!)

While I know this is in fact perfectly accurate from what you discussed at the time, it still sounds like some sort of Goon Show reference.

Anyway, I know you were joking - now if it had been DRI on the other hand (I've never forgiven Andy for getting its name wrong in Fifth Lectern

)

Meadow said:
I'm not Thande.

Are we not all, in some way, Thande?

...No. That would be weird.

Basileus Giorgios · Nov 20, 2014

LancyIain said:
I am grinning so much at the moment. Someday after work I really need to pop into The Speaker. I don't expect to find a LibDem version of you watching Question Time with BG though.

Thanks for the cameo, and this is a fun TLIAD.

Am I the only AH.commer who actually lives and works in Yorkshire these days?

Thande · Nov 20, 2014

Basileus Giorgios said:
Thanks for the cameo, and this is a fun TLIAD.

Am I the only AH.commer who actually lives and works in Yorkshire these days?

...What am I, chopped liver?

Ed Costello · Nov 20, 2014

That was lovely. The last update was slightly discombobulating - though reading it on my phone in the pub after a show probably didn't help - but after a second read-through it's all become much clearer.

Much as I love the work you do with Meadow, it's always nice to see the two of you creating work separately - especially when it's as good as this.

Lord Roem · Nov 20, 2014

Right - as is tradition;

Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom

1997-2008: Tony Blair (Labour)
2008-2009: David Miliband (Labour)
2009-0000: Dr Liam Fox (Conservative)

Leaders of the Opposition

1997-1997: John Major (Conservative)
1997-2001: William Hague (Conservative)
2001-2005: Michael Portillo (Conservative)
2005-2009: Dr Liam Fox (Conservative)
2009-2012: Alan Johnson (Labour)
2012-0000: Angela Eagle (Labour)

Certain Leading Party Leaders in the House of Commons

Dr Liam Fox (Conservative)
Angela Eagle (Labour)
Danny Alexander (Liberal Democrat)
Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish National Party)
Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru)
Douglas Carswell (United Kingdom Independence Party/New Politics Alliance)
Derek Wall (Green Party of England and Wales)
Alan Sanders (Mebyon Kernow)
Frank Field (Speaker)

First Secretaries of Yorkshire

2000-2003: David Blunkett (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2003-2008: Fabian Hamilton (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2008-2012: Philip Davies (Reform Conservatives)
2012-0000: John Healey (Labour)

Party Leaders in the Assembly

John Healey (Labour)
Edward McMillan-Scott (Reform Conservatives)
Greg Mulholland (Yorkshire Liberal Democrats)
Jane Collins (United Kingdom Independence Party/New Politics Alliance)
George Galloway (Socialist-Green Party)
William Morrison (United Farmers)

First Ministers of Scotland

1999-2002: Donald Dewar (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2002-2006: Sam Galbraith (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2006-2007: John Swinney (SNP with Progressive Confidence and Supply)
2007-2011: Wendy Alexander (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2011-0000: Stewart Hosie (SNP)

Other Devolved Assemblies/Mayoralties Being;

The Welsh Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly
The North East Assembly
The Cornish Assembly
The Greater London Assembly and Mayoralty
The Greater Manchester Assembly and Mayoralty
The Merseyside Assembly and Mayoralty
The Birmingham & the Black Country Unitary Council

Mumby · Nov 20, 2014

Lord Roem said:
Right - as is tradition;

Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom

1997-2008: Tony Blair (Labour)
2008-2009: David Miliband (Labour)
2009-0000: Dr Liam Fox (Conservative)

Leaders of the Opposition

1997-0000: John Major (Conservative)
1997-2001: William Hague (Conservative)
2001-2005: Michael Portillo (Conservative)
2005-2009: Dr Liam Fox (Conservative)
2009-2012: Alan Johnson (Labour)
2012-0000: Angela Eagle (Labour)

Certain Leading Party Leaders in the House of Commons

Dr Liam Fox (Conservatives)
Angela Eagle (Labour)
Danny Alexander (Liberal Democrat)
Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish National Party)
Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru)
Douglas Carswell (United Kingdom Independence Party/New Politics Alliance)
Derek Wall (Green Party of England and Wales)
Alan Sanders (Mebyon Kernow)
Frank Field (Speaker)

First Secretaries of Yorkshire

2000-2006: David Blunkett (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2006-2008: Fabian Hamilton (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2008-2012: Philip Davies (Reform Conservatives)
2012-0000: John Healey (Labour)

Party Leaders in the Assembly

John Healey (Labour)
Edward McMillan-Scott (Reform Conservatives)
Greg Mulholland (Yorkshire Liberal Democrats)
Jane Collins (United Kingdom Independence Party/New Politics Alliance)
George Galloway (Socialist-Green Party)
William Morrison (United Farmers)

First Ministers of Scotland

1999-2002: Donald Dewar (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2002-2006: Sam Galbraith (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2006-2007: John Swinney (SNP with Progressive Confidence and Supply)
2007-2011: Wendy Alexander (Labour-LibDem Coalition)
2011-0000: Stewart Hosie (SNP)

Other Devolved Assemblies/Mayoralties Being;

The Northern Ireland Assembly
The North East Assembly
The Cornish Assembly
The Greater London Assembly and Mayoralty
The Greater Manchester Assembly and Mayoralty
The Merseyside Assembly and Mayoralty
The Birmingham & the Black Country Unitary Council

Well, I'm going to need a cold shower.

Puget Sound · Nov 20, 2014

No Welsh Assembly, then?

Techdread · Nov 21, 2014

A brilliant conclusion to a very interesting and entertaining TLIAD - I did very much enjoy the Cornish reference at the end, although I am somewhat biased in that regard.

This recent explosion of TLIADs have all been brilliant to read and, as one should expect from a writer such as yourself, this is no different - bravo, Lord Roem!

ramones1986 · Nov 21, 2014

Puget Sound said:
No Welsh Assembly, then?

Maybe he forgot to include it.

The Professor · Nov 21, 2014

A good end LR.
Ditto to all the previous comments
And I chuckled at the Continuity Liberals reference

(and welcome to the LibDems

)

Utgard96 · Nov 21, 2014

ramones1986 said:
Maybe he forgot to include it.

The referendum for Welsh devolution was passed only by a razor-thin margin, so it's entirely plausible for it to fail. Not very logical given how the bloody North East, with its muddle of local rivalries, managed to get its assembly, but still within the range of probability.

Thande · Nov 21, 2014

Having met Fabian Hamilton I think he would make a good First Secretary. Given that I got the impression he does not get on well with the Greens, that would help justify the Galloway Socialist-Green breakaway party. And good use of Philip Davies (former Mayor of Doncaster Peter Davies' son, for those who don't know).

Frank Field as Speaker is also an interesting twist - I imagine this is similar to what Labour did with backing Bercow but in reverse with the Tories backing him.

Lord Roem · Nov 21, 2014

ramones1986 said:
Maybe he forgot to include it.

I did actually - have amended - entirely my old fault (as were a couple of dates that I inadvertently ret-conned.)

The Professor said:
A good end LR.
Ditto to all the previous comments
And I chuckled at the Continuity Liberals reference

(and welcome to the LibDems )

Delighted that you enjoyed in Prof. I get the feeling that I'm quite a bit more self-promoting ITTL. I'm the sort of person who is basically a National Liberal at heart, so I'm always drawn between my working-class commitment to Labour, and an inherent scepticism regarding the far-left, so I'm not sure which would win out in the end...

Thande said:
Having met Fabian Hamilton I think he would make a good First Secretary. Given that I got the impression he does not get on well with the Greens, that would help justify the Galloway Socialist-Green breakaway party. And good use of Philip Davies (former Mayor of Doncaster Peter Davies' son, for those who don't know).

Frank Field as Speaker is also an interesting twist - I imagine this is similar to what Labour did with backing Bercow but in reverse with the Tories backing him.

I really like Fabian, he's a great MP in Leeds (at bit like Greg is for the LibDems - but that's probably because of how great he has been in supporting pub landlords...) so I think he would be a decent fit for the Assembly.

Ditto with Philip Davies, I've obviously got the author bias going on here, but I don't think his four-year 'Reform Conservative' administration went down especially well, but he's the sort of down-to-earth populist right-winger that would be a good fit for Yorkshire Politics (OTL, he's made a Con-Lab marginal into a seat for life...)

You read my mind with regard to Frank Field, which I don't think is too bad -considering he's basically an older version of me...