TLIAW - The Second Protectorate: Life in George Galloway's Britain

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Government Post-War

Before the war, the government had expected to issue rationing books so that people could buy supplies, then feed the public using their emergency stockpile, which contained enough basic food for five years. Food would be distributed in large field kitchens. The government would also run hospitals to deal with some sickness, and would dispose of, for example, bodies and waste. None of these things happened.

The rationing system fell apart in the preparation for war period due to the fact that listing and issuing ration books was delayed and by the time they were ready rioting had already started. Pre-war protests had massively delayed preparation for war planning and the distribution of food. In whole counties, no waste was collected and the public proved to be incapable of dealing with routine tasks such as disposing of sewage and burying the dead without government intervention. Disease spread rapidly, some of it the result of Soviet biological attacks, although it is now acknowledged that some of the worst strains were simply the result of the breakdown of all hygiene and sanitation facilities.

Large field kitchens were implemented in some areas, such as Essex, and proved to be completely unsuccessful. Not only did the large gatherings spread disease, but riots broke out rapidly as it was realised that there wasn’t enough food to go round. The first modern day ration distribution centres were established in Scotland. Large areas were cordoned off and patrolled by armed guards, ten people at a time were allowed in at a time, were disinfected given food for the week and escorted out of the other side, where more armed guards would break out any fights. It didn’t take long for these to come to be called Rat Centres, after what people assumed they were eating.

Attempts to house refugees and look after the sick met with similar problems. The best hospitals could do was to collect and dispose of some of the dead and almost dead. Refugee camps were established, and billeting large groups of people together in one place lead to a rapid spread in disease.

Republican government forces had their own strengths and weaknesses. While their rations were smaller, they were in a far better position to deal with housing problems. Monarchist advice was to stay in your homes, while Republican groups raided existing homes and cleared them out, taking loot and moving in refugees. The Republicans, many of whom had left their homes to fight, were often the first to reach the “virgin towns” - settlements that had avoided nuclear attacks. Peace Now! Bands carried less disease than most refugees, and were able to provide protection against other arrivals (most villages weren’t offered a choice - G). In urban areas, streets that barricaded and organised themselves made enemies of the government, but fared far better than areas that were nominally under the protection of the UK government.

Already, on the ground level, successful survivors were reaching a synthesis. Their homes were likely in Republican areas, law was dealt with on a local level, but they were willing to collect food and resources from the Monarchist forces.

Nowhere was the synthesis more clear than in radio. The business had never been well supplied or trained for nuclear war, and official BBC DJs often found themselves reading survival advice from sheets of paper that was totally detached from reality, whereas Republican Radio services often gave solid advice from people who knew about survival. The audience, with just a small amount of battery power, could not afford to switch between shows or listen to both. In many areas competing channels tacitly cooperated, taking it in turns to broadcast updates.

It was through these channels that what was left of the UK government sent its olive branch to the Republicans. They first offered to pardon all acts of treason and terrorism committed, an offer that was reciprocated by the Republicans, who noted that as they didn’t recognise the UK government, this was meaningless. The next offer was more sensible: joint government, an end to tit for tat violence between the factions and a focus, from now on, on survival.

It is a sign of how war weary the country was that it only took three days to open negotiations to end the civil war. Four days later. George Galloway, and everyone connected to the Republican National Interim Council, would be killed. But the rapidness of the ceasefire demonstrates a real desire for peace that most people still feel today.

(Someone literally shot you a few days ago, Ruth! And you still believe people are desperate for peace? I’m so proud of you! - O)

(Don’t worry, Olivia. It was only a standard Rat Centre scuffle, and they only shot me a bit. It’s giving me time to think about some things, and finish this! - R)
 

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Compromise and collapse

The idea of a general ceasefire and end to the civil war was widely applauded as a good idea, but came with significant difficulties. Not least that with much of the government destroyed, it was hard to clearly determine lines of command on either side. This meant that each area was left to negotiate their own solutions. In some cases, this was entirely one sided, for instance, the Archbishop accepted a pardon for his involvement in Peace Now! and became a part of the United Kingdom establishment very quickly. In other sections, the one sided answers were less quickly accepted: few streets were unbarricaded and few pirate radio stations were voluntarily closed.

More equitable deals soon sprouted up. For instance, in some rural areas, the police force found it easier to accept the cooperation of the new arrivals, and even in some cases their authority. In Moretonhampstead, a police force enforced a sentence on a hoarder which was determined by a Republican general meeting.

One area where compromise was found to be impossible was Scotland. Initially, the Civil Defence establishment cooperated well with the rebels. Scottish nationalist sympathies were strong on both sides, and the SNP provided a useful link as an entirely anti-nuclear holocaust party that still played a big part in parliament. The new barricades and the monarchist authorities initially got on well, the regional commander even brought SNP politicians and other Peace Now! activists into his central committee. This was reversed by a military coup and the end of the general amnesty. Suddenly, Peace Now! Went from being part of government to being imprisoned.

George Galloway was furious, and announced that any executions in Scotland would lead to retribution killings, particularly in nuclear bases such as Aberporth, which was under Peace Now! control. A message came back from Aberporth fast:

Dear George and your friends,

The idea of reprisal killings and that violence is a solution to violence is what got the world into this mess in the first place. If you, or some cunts in Scotland, want to kill people, we won’t stop you. But we don’t want any part of it. You don’t represent Peace Now! and if you do, we don’t want any part of that either.


RAF Aberporth

The message was repeated widely on all channels, going along with George Galloway’s message and later, with the news of Scotland’s execution of 19 SNP MPs. There were no reprisals. The authority of the Republican government had evidently come to an end, and negotiations were started up piecemeal between groups on the ground. Over the next month, most parts of Britain would find a compromise between the new organs of the state, and those set up by the pre-war UK government.

The area where violence was at its worst was Scotland. The Scottish Insurrection continues to this day. Ironically, the pro-British forces, separated politically from the rest of the UK, have become a de facto autonomous government, while Scottish Nationalist forces are on the side of greater cooperation with the rest of the former United Kingdom.

There would never be another Prime Minister, and aside from in Scotland, nobody would claim to be part of a “United Kingdom”. However, the Regional Command structure, police forces, the NHS, the Anglican Church and the BBC continue to function, be it within a political structure that would have been unimaginable a few decades ago. The first Regional Commander to be appointed by a vote of General Meetings was elected in 2019. In 2022, The General Federation of Arbitration Committees released Volume One of their Guiding Principles, which has replaced UK law. While it is not clear even today what the compromise will be between old and new, society is rapidly approaching new understanding.

The government of the Republic of Britain met an inglorious end, as newcomers to an island that was a haunt of the wealthy they had secured control by force of arms and put a serious strain on the already limited supplies. Their presence also brought the island to the attention of outsiders, and following the end of the Republican government’s national significance people felt it was safe to launch raids. A short rebellion lead to the expulsion of republicans from the island, although George Galloway himself never made it out. It is believed that the last head of state in British history was shot in the back by former supermodel Poppy Delevingne while attempting to climb out of a toilet window.
 

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Final message

Olivia,

I wanted to apologise, first because this thing has taken a lot longer to write than I expected. But also because now it’s over I feel like I’m done with the Sanctuary. I’ve been living in children’s accommodation since I was four years old, and I believe that the time has come to ask to transfer to the adult staff.

This comes with dangers, I’m well aware of that. So let me set your mind at rest about a few things:
  1. There isn’t a guy out there. You taught us well on that one. The percentage of female survivors being what it is, I know to be on my guard against people looking to “continue the species”. I’m not going to settle with anyone until I’ve had a lot more time to get used to things.

  2. I know it’s a dangerous world. Gloria is teaching me to shoot and teaching me this martial art called Krav Maga. It is gloriously violent and you would hate it. So, that’s a lot of fun.

  3. I’m not going to become some squaddie asshole. I hope you get that from my essay. I know the world was destroyed by militarism. I know that continued violence was only avoided because in the end British people learnt to turn the other cheek. But there’s still some work that needs to be done to clean up the world. And I want to be part of it
A confession: in the Sanc late at night we would sometimes talk about What We Would Have Been If The World Hadn’t Ended. I know you will be sad to hear that and that we shouldn’t try to live in the past. But when the world is in ruins, a little bit of living in the past is kind of inevitable. I always said I wanted to be an artist and travel the world. That seemed to be about the furthest thing from the world as it is now. But you know what? It’s not actually impossible anymore. I was really surprised, when I went out to Gomshall, to see just how much art there is in the world now. There are street murals, and toys, and models, and you should see the decorations around the war memorial. Real culture is coming alive again and it’s not coming through the radio, which mostly repeats old things, or from our bases with our libraries and leisure facilities. Culture is being reborn out there in the sticks.

It might not be possible to travel the world, but there’s a world of difference between the nomad scavengers of London and the Surrey bases and the boat people down the south coast. I want to see just that! And maybe I’ll even meet some of the aid workers. I’ve been learning some basic Swiss, Swedish and Swahili phrases just so I can impress foreigners if I ever do meet any!

Thanks for everything, and I promise whatever I do, I’ll volunteer in the nursery as often as I can!

Love

Ruth
 

Sideways

Donor
This is hilarious, in an incredibly morbid kind of way.

When I looked up Orsea Island I found it is surprisingly well liked as a getaway for celebrities. A counter revolution made up of instagram celebrities and mainstream rock bands is surprisingly sensible in the conditions.
 
Utterly fantastic story; the structure of the pieces, the compelling ideas and writing - they all combine to create a captivating work to read. The feelings you put in this really shine through.

I know I'll find myself returning to this in future, thank you for making this, Sideways!
 

Sideways

Donor
Utterly fantastic story; the structure of the pieces, the compelling ideas and writing - they all combine to create a captivating work to read. The feelings you put in this really shine through.

I know I'll find myself returning to this in future, thank you for making this, Sideways!

Thanks Lowtuff. Posts like this really raise a guy's spirits. I really appreciate you taking the time to read this thing
 
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