TLIAW: The UK Presidential Election - 2015

[Derek Pullem]

So we have the ex heir to the throne standing for president against an ex-TV presenter who wants to put his son back on the throne ahead of him?

My head is almost exploding. The funny thing is, if it is constitutional for the WVR to propose reinstating the monarchy what would electing a former royal do for the Greens?

 

[Mumby]

We've had basically everything planned out since before we started, we're carefully dripfeeding and seeing what people can guess. Things will get more explicit as time goes on, but we wanted an approach to worldbuilding that was an attempt at doing 'as you know, Bob' in a plausible and non-shit way, rather than the usual TLIAD format or just some bulletpoints.

Nobody tell me nothing.

I'm reading this to my brother, in 'Reading to Ed Mumby 2: Not Blind Boogaloo'.

 

[Makemakean]

I was hoping for Paddy Ashdown, but I actually wasn't expecting it. I thought, well, he'd be nice, but, no, he'd have to be Tory or Labour. Now, I would say this, now wouldn't I, but I am convinced that a President Ashdown would have been a superb choice for Head of State in a republic-that-is-British.

 

[iainbhx]

So the Green Party has returned to the Merrie England roots of the Ecology Party.

Mmm, President Paddy. Twice. Interesting. I can see there have been very little left of that drinks trolley on the Sarajevo flight.

 

[Deleted member 9259]

I'm really enjoying this. The electoral college is ridiculous, but you've made it plausible. Looking forward to the next update.

 

[Meadow]

So the Green Party has returned to the Merrie England roots of the Ecology Party.

And split itself apart in the process - hence Tatchell's 'Red-Green Platform For Change' run. We realised there would be many in the party who simply wouldn't stand for a Charlie nomination.

Mmm, President Paddy. Twice. Interesting. I can see there have been very little left of that drinks trolley on the Sarajevo flight.

Thrice, actually - elected in 03, 07 and 11.

I was hoping for Paddy Ashdown, but I actually wasn't expecting it. I thought, well, he'd be nice, but, no, he'd have to be Tory or Labour. Now, I would say this, now wouldn't I, but I am convinced that a President Ashdown would have been a superb choice for Head of State in a republic-that-is-British.

That realisation, which Jack and I had almost simultaneously a few months ago, is what made us decide to craft this TL. And if you read between the lines, there's a fairly clear circumstance in which he wins the Presidency in spite (or is it because?) of his third party status.

Thanks to all who've commented - I would say again that reading closely and occasionally between the lines is recommended here. A number of very big things have yet to be commented on, including one fairly explicit piece of constitutional chicanery that Jack and I were convinced would cause a stir...

 

[V-J]

I think you're treading a fine line here between the joke American misconception and plausibility--like having it be an electoral college but with proportionately awarded electoral votes.

Mechanism for producing a 'hung' vote inserted with no obvious reason why it should be there?

Good news everybody, it's a plot element!

 

[Mumby]

Thanks to all who've commented - I would say again that reading closely and occasionally between the lines is recommended here. A number of very big things have yet to be commented on, including one fairly explicit piece of constitutional chicanery that Jack and I were convinced would cause a stir...

I get the feeling that Blair caused some kind of constitutional crisis (over Iraq?).

 

[Tom Colton]

What, the good old "losing the popular vote but winning the electoral vote" (and viking versa)?

 

[Utgard96]

What, the good old "losing the popular vote but winning the electoral vote"?

Seems like it'd be fairly hard to do if electors are given out proportionally.

 

[Meadow]

I get the feeling that Blair caused some kind of constitutional crisis (over Iraq?).

No comment on that, but this is even more explicitly described. In the update itself.

 

[OwenM]

The Regency?
It mostly seemed a fairly logical intermediate step, tbh. The most surprising thing was who, really.

 

[V-J]

I get the feeling that Blair caused some kind of constitutional crisis (over Iraq?).

Blair appears to have been removed by the People's Paddy in 2003.

 

[Lemon flavoured]

The Regency?
It mostly seemed a fairly logical intermediate step, tbh. The most surprising thing was who, really.

How logical it is depends on the reason for the regency, really.

 

[iainbhx]

The Regency?
It mostly seemed a fairly logical intermediate step, tbh. The most surprising thing was who, really.

And how did they get Princess Pushy out of the Regency. Kicking and Screaming?

 

[AdmiralBlake]

This thread has given me a lot of pleasure

 

[Techdread]

Paddy Ashdown as the elected President of the United Kingdom, which only remains called that due to that most British of thing, traditional inertia.

Seems to be same thing that kept the House of Lords from formally becoming the Senate - the title 'Lord Senator' does a suitably British grandiose nature to it though.

Interesting note about the Speaker not being given the Head of State position and Blair's 'modifications' to the Jenkins Commission - can't really say what they are from my reading though, but I'm sure someone more learned might be able to tell me what I've missed.

 

[Meadow]

Seems to be same thing that kept the House of Lords from formally becoming the Senate - the title 'Lord Senator' does a suitably British grandiose nature to it though.

Interesting note about the Speaker not being given the Head of State position and Blair's 'modifications' to the Jenkins Commission - can't really say what they are from my reading though, but I'm sure someone more learned might be able to tell me what I've missed.

It appears Jenkins wanted a non-re-electable longer term, but Blair insisted on an American-style four year re-electable one. Paddy is now arguing that the original proposals be put in place.

 

[Techdread]

It appears Jenkins wanted a non-re-electable longer term, but Blair insisted on an American-style four year re-electable one. Paddy is now arguing that the original proposals be put in place.

Ah, I see - that would make sense, particularly for Blair to warrant that kind of approach for shorter terms comparatively.

 

[Lord Roem]

It appears Jenkins wanted a non-re-electable longer term, but Blair insisted on an American-style four year re-electable one. Paddy is now arguing that the original proposals be put in place.

It is worth pointing out, additionally, that a lot of Blair's early constitutional musings (such as they were...), were very much seen through his Atlanticist eye. There's no reason to have a ceremonial president with a four year term, but it's happened here because America.

As already mentioned, we're sort of going for a bit of a 'Blairpunk' style here, so imagine a lot of Words With Capital Letters and sentences without verbs on a lot of the reformist documents.