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AH Run-downs, summaries and general gubbins

Based on Temeraire's SW game TL about a Russia where Yeltsin dies just before the 1993 constitutional crisis:

Circa mid-1997

The Government Parties

Reform Bloc of Women and Labor: yeah, yeah, I know, two separate (corruption-tainted) parties, but in practice they seem lock step on a lot of things, except perhaps that Christ the Savior Cathedral kerfluffle and Washicko droning on on OTV about how he wants to restrict abortion to be more like France, as if President Savitskaya would actually let the Orthodox Church actually anywhere near power. Anyway, they're finally saying they're going to send in troops into Chechnya, to restore international confidence in Russia, because apparently after Chechnya, in theory a constituent entity of Russia, has gone through, what, 3 rounds of secessionist civil disorder, now is the time to send VDV and the police in...

Agrarian Party: Bless their hearts, between Helping Hands, actually trying to court the Church before it was cool, and trying to actually give practical aid to the agricultiral sector, they seem to actually think governing Russia is about good governance. Pity that won't last.

The Others

Communist Party: I never thought I'd say this, but given their record of competent if controversial municipal governance, plus their whole "Computer Governance" thing actually working, they might actually square up to be a real challenger in the next general election. Now if only they'd stop having an orgasm every time Stalin's name is mentioned, and remember that Russia actually supports Belgrade not opposes it, that would be good too.

Liberal Democratic Party: The Libdets, three lies for the price of one, like the Germans say. As usual, ranting on every talk show about how Russia ignoring a bunch of Chinese policemen on an unoccupied island in a place even more godforsaken than Uryupinsk is proof of the government being a foreign puppet actually gives it a boost in the polls. Albeit given Chechnya, the government has little room to complain. Still, vaguely anti-Semitic, ultra-nationalist and generally nasty people (what else can you call them after their attempt to poach Nazbol voters?)

Marxist Workers Party: As usual, saying that they can bring back true Leninism to Russia by the Power of Rock. One gets the feeling that people vote for them as a fuck you to whichever gormless bureaucrat or former officer is in government this month. Like, I mean half their voters seem to turn up because Girin is hip and edgy and Russian unlike Michael Jackson. I suppose it could be worse, but then again you can say that about literally anything in this country.

Russian Choice: Oh, look, the remnants of Boris Yeltsin's corpse, if it had a bastard child with Maggie Thatcher! Yeah, yeah, Moscow Miracle, yadda yadda Ustinov is not a Bratki, but come on, do they even have any voters outside Moscow or Piter? I suppose so, they do have more than two Federal Councilmen, but still, every miner I've met uses the words "Russian Choice" as a boogieman to keep his children from pulling any bullshit.

National Bolsheviks: Ah, the party who looks at parliamentary immunity and shits all over it because Jewish Pizza Hut conspiracy or something. Like of all the places to firebomb, they go after an overpriced American pizza chain just because Gorbachev decided he would shed the last remnants of his dignity with them? There are rumore the other parties want to ban them by the 1999 election, and if so, may that day come soon. The country that spent the most blood fighting the Nazis having 4 practical neo-Nazis in parliament is a fucking scandal.
 
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Latest update on the "British Government-in-Exile"

General Status: The GIE has been rebuked in public and private by the Argentine government - sources in Buenos Aires and Port Stanley tell us this is due to yet another spat with Argentine companies wanting to exploit Falkland waters. GIE continues to act bigger than it is.

National Union: Incapable of retaining power. The generation that fled when the junta has fallen are dying out, those that haven't quietly emigrated, and Union struggles to gain support among the young who have mostly accepted there will be no 'second glorious revolution'. Recent sex scandals have only made their situation worse, exposing key figures as hypocrites.

Liberals: Certain to win March's election. The party of the younger votes and continues to be 'liberal in name only': focused on a neoliberal "buccaneer" trading platform and the idea of formally making the Falklands their own 'New Britain'. Currently runs its own security force ("yellowshirts", as dubbed by Union supporters) to protect its members from "accidents".

Queen Guinevere: Very much in the Liberals camp - unlike 'King' Andrew, has long given up on Buckingham Palace and now wants to be recognised as a 'real' monarch. Considered arrogant and bigoted by Argentine officials, a continuing source of tension.

PREDICTION: If the Liberals win, they and Guinevere will move to declare the Falklands its own nation rather than a protectorate redoubt. Argentina will then try to bring them to heel - at the moment, it believes the Liberals would not dare declare true independence. (This is in part down to our agents but mostly due to arrogance)

SUGGESTION: Immediately recognise the new nation, if declared. Rally the EEC to place sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Argentina when it takes action - encourage Chile to do the same, once it sees Argentina as the clear aggressor. Any overt reaction beyond this will likely keep Argentina and the GIE as continuing allies.
 
United States of America (in the Three's A Crowd/Spoil the Broth world)

Populists: Everything's on fire. Why is it all burning down. We lost the House and only barely held the Senate. Everything's on fire
- President Marco Rubio: Is acting very relaxed about all of this, sure he'll win re-nomination. Has dismissed Ojeda's campaign as a "hopeless no-namer campaign", which is really courageous of him, honestly. He sounds overconfident
- Senator Richard Ojeda: He is Richard Ojeda! He is Richard Ojeda! He is Richard Ojeda! And he's running for President. Finally. I thought he wouldn't get off his horse and properly do it. Lots of shouting, lots of militaristic imagery and talk of Rubio "betraying America"

Democrats: Yay, we won the House! But our frontrunner is under investigation for domestic abuse. So yeah...
- Governor Michael Avenatti: Is pointedly saying that this is all a fake to discredit him. Seems like he's still going ahead with the plan to run for the Presidency. But this definitely ends the perception of him as a frontrunner, making it anyone's game
- Senator Hector Balderas: Has chirped that "Dems need to choose a minority candidate to fight the first Latino president". Too obvious, Hector?
- Governor Tammy Baldwin: Gee, isn't she in Iowa a lot those days? Almost like she wants to run for President
- Senator David Cicilline: His chirpit is all about local Rhode Island stuff. Maybe we talked him up a bit too much
- Senator Stephen Colbert: Has gone on the Joe Biden Show and has joked to Biden that Biden should go into electoral politics one day. Biden has also returned the quip saying "After you go to the White House!". God, those two are old friends and its obvious
- Speaker Andrew Cuomo: Isn't the new Speaker as proud as can be? He did it, he got back in his old job and is wielding the hammer once more. But will he run for the Presidency? Helping him is the fact there's now a new film about his father. It's Me, Mario, I think it's called?
- Senator Matt Damon: Has met with several big donors from the 2016 Klobuchar camp. He could be running. After all, Dem actors win
- Actress Ellen DeGeneres: Surprisingly enough, Louisiana NUP people have been chirping excitedly about the idea of Ellen for president. Seriously, the hashtag #geauxellen is trending big time. She has sent a chirp of appreciation but has been fairly coy about actually running
- Governor Rodney Ellis: Has declined to talk about the possibility of him running for President. But you don't get to be the first National Union governor of Texas without people drooling over the idea of you in the White House
- Senator Matt Gonzalez: After Avenatti kind of imploded, people have talked up him. But he doesn't seem particularly interested at present. Makes sense, when people are transparently turning to you as their second choice of "Charismatic Californian Leftie", you might not be encouraged much
- Governor Kim Coco Iwamoto: The darling of the Socialist Left Caucus at present, KCI is a rave name at universities and the Governor herself has been spotted in Oregon. Oregon, as in the primary after Iowa. She's running. #teamkci
- Former Governor Patrick J. Kennedy: Has been meeting with Senator Damon a fair bit those last few weeks. Who knows who will run, but it seems like there'll only be one Bay Stater running. Who knows who, though
- Former Secretary of the Treasury Paul Krugman: Is it a concidence that his next few speeches take place in early primary states? Like, there's one in Iowa, one in Oregon, one in Tennessee, you get it. He's probably running
- Senator Ned Lamont: His latest chirp is "There are much connections between Connecticut and Tennessee. I am honored to meet many people of this beautiful state". Wow. Are people not bothering to hide their open aim for the Presidency anymore?
- Senator Barack Obama: All but running at this point. I don't think he has even been in Hawaii much those days. And has he even talked to KCI? He really should. Two Hawaiians running is a bit too much and they'll cut in each other's votes
- Former Governor Robyne Robinson: Well, technically still Governor. But she's out come January. Her chirpit is talking a lot about her art works and possible exhibitions for her works. I have a feeling those people talking her up as the Inevitable President were up the wrong tree
- Senator Bryan Townsend: Apparently a website url "townsend2020" has been bought. Exciting!
- Professor Kanye West: With book tours for A Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, people have noticed that they tend to be in the Midwest and Upper South. Aka the areas that tend to be up on Super Tuesday. Totally a concidence yeah...

Republicans: Fuck. We're fucked. We lost a lot of seats this time. We really need to jump back in 2020...
- Former Senator Jeff Bezos: Some have seriously suggested that this one-term Senator who just lost his election could run. And just because he's a billionaire. Why? What could he add that others don't? Baldness? And he's technically an Independent...
- Senator Mark Boughton: Generic slogan, generic slogan, generic slogan. Wow. His chirpit is so boring
- Governor Knute Buehler: Once again, Buehler has said something I agree with. Ugh. Why can't he be unreasonable
- Former Governor Susan Collins: Yeah, yeah, still Governor, but whatever. She has been very cagey about possibly running
- Senator Dennis Daugaard: Yeah, still Governor until blah blah. Apparently he was in Washington DC with former VP Tom Harkin for a committee about the importance of support for disabled, and especially deaf, Americans, and he has made it clear that as Senator, he would ensure disabled Americans "wouldn't be mistreated or ignored". That sounds nice, but isn't that tone a little "set out the message" for a presidential run?
- Senator Eddie Edwards: Has gone on a bit of a chirp run, talking about how Republicans are the Party of Lincoln that freed the slaves and the Dems and Pops were the parties that encouraged white supremacy. Erm. I think you're missing a bit of history there, Senator
- Former Representative Beth Fukumoto: We can definitely say she's running, what with this chirp saying "Me, run for president in 2020? No, no, it is definitely not happening and can you stop asking me about this". She's running!
- Senator Lindsey Graham: Remember when he was President Lieberman's Senate attack dog? Well, we all now do, as he has gone on a long speech in the Senate about how Rubio is "selling America" and that the president elected in 2020 "should ensure America is strong again"
- Senator Bobby Jindal: Met with several top Southern Republican donors, apparently. I hear he's good for funding for a big campaign
- Former Governor Linda McMahon: Seems keen to try to cut into Trump's possible vote with her talking about being an "outsider" and cutting down on immigration and the need to "ensure Americans have a safe society" and all
- Former Governor Martha McSally: Has chirped that she's "looking into what to do after the incredible experience of being your Governor"
- Governor Kim Reynolds: Very quiet about the idea of running for President. Her chirpit is just local Iowa stuff
- Governor Ben Sasse: Has been very vocal about his opposition to Rubio's isolationism, arguing that "America needs to get out into the world"
- Senator Luther Strange: Seriously. Luther Strange. What an obviously fake name. Anyway, he's... huh, I can't find much about what he's doing

Businessman Donald Trump: Currently polling 14%, which is a good sign that he still has some of the draw that he had back in '92. The only matter is, will he run? He's very much the "Hamlet on the Hudson" at this point. Will he even run? Who knows
 
The Second Republic of the Ryukyus (commonly referred to in English as the Ryukyu Republic) has been an internationally recognized independent state since its secession from Japan in 1991 after 112 years of foreign rule, interrupted only briefly by the unrecognized independence of the First Republic from 1948-1955. Today the Ryukyu Republic continues to endeavor in reviving and preserving its unique heritage after decades of cultural loss. The nation of a little under two million inhabitants is one of the wealthiest countries in Northeast Asia. Its economy, centered around finance, banking, and tourism, has restructured itself since independence. While the nation remains heavily dependent on Japan and the United States, efforts by the last two administrations have strengthened economic and political ties with China, Korea, and the Philippines. Okinawan and Japanese are the two official languages, though in practice Japanese remains dominant.

Politically, the Ryukyu state is a unitary parliamentary republic. It has a dynamic civil society and an equally contentious multi-party system. Its unicameral National Assembly is elected through proportional representation. The National Assembly elects a Prime Minister, who in turn appoints a ceremonial President every five years with a limit of two terms. The legal system is modeled after the old Japanese system, with a German and French-influenced Civil Code. Ryukyuan code also makes accommodation for village-level customary law.

There are currently seven parties represented in the 100 member Ryukyu National Assembly. The current largest party is the Ryukyuan Independence Party. The Independence Party formed in 1985, during the reform and democratization era in Japan. It started out as a broad tent of pro-independence elements of Ryukyuan society and led the secession movement. Its victory in the first Okinawan Diet elections paved the path towards independence. It subsequently won the first official national election. Despite this, the Independence Party's neoliberal and establishmentarian turn through the 1990s led to several left-wing splits and an eventual loss to the right-wing Liberal Party. The Independence Party, now back in power, emphasizes social democracy, social liberalism, and Ryukyuan nationalism in rhetoric while in practice largely seeking to maintain the status quo.

The second largest party is the Liberal Party of the Ryukyus, which represents the more conservative, Japanophilic elements of Ryukyuan society. Many of its supporters are ethnic Japanese or of partial ethnic Japanese ancestry, though the party makes sure to run Ryukyuans as its top candidates. Most of the all the Liberals have courted the support of the new economy elites. During their two terms in power, the Liberals signed a free trade agreement with the United States and deregulated the banking sector with the hopes of attracting further Chinese investment.

The next largest party are the People's Party of the Ryukyus. With their origins as a left split from the Independence Party, the People's Party is a coalition of multiple smaller left-wing parties and mass organizations. It defines itself as democratic socialist and has strong ties to the nascent labor movement. It identifies with anti-American and anti-Japanese Ryukyuan nationalism. Like many left-wing Ryukyuan nationalist groups, the People's Party is staunchly feminist, requiring that half the candidates on its electoral list be women. In 2016, the People's Party controlled Naafa City Council legalized civil unions between same-sex partners. While it has not governed at the national level, the People's Party has consistently entered multiple supply and confidence agreements with the Independence Party.

The next largest party is Harmony, which had its origins in the Ryukyuan wing of Sokka Gakkai. Although no longer officially politically Buddhist, the Harmony movement remains socially conservative. It has consistently coalitioned with the Liberal Party. Another right-wing party are the Unificationists, who represent the most extreme pro-Japanese elements in Ryukyuan society with membership ranging from angry ex-Liberals to unreconstructed Hattoriites. The Pensioner's Party is likewise conservative in orientation, with many of its voters being former IJA soldiers and their wives and widows. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Communist Party of the Ryukyus, which is the Ryukyuan rump of the Communist Party of Japan. Or rather the handful of cadre who avoided being killed during the Hattori era. Like the CPJ, the CPR has abandoned Marxism-Leninism, instead focusing mostly on women's rights and environmental issues, allowing it to remain just above the electoral threshold most of the time.
 
nging from angry ex-Liberals to unreconstructed Hattoriites.

I really like how you've written this as if you're explaining a political system the reader isn't familiar with. And then completely not explained this because, come on, everyone knows how horrible Hottori was.

Also "north east Asia". Subtle and alien.
 
After the Conquest, the Crown - Canada

Conservative Party: After Bennett and Manion got the gang back together, have been the natural governing party since the Liberation. Sir John would be proud. Or perhaps not - it was under them that the Catholics, French, Asians, and Indigenous achieved equality, and Canada had its first Catholic, female, and Jewish PMs. If there is a Heaven, it best have a well-stocked whisky bar.

Liberal Party: Between Gladstone and Keynes, the Liberals have been plagued by contradictory messaging about where their economic policies lie. Choquette's attempted "Classical Liberal" coalition in the 70s still makes that wing the butt of jokes even in the Encyclopedia Britannica. Though that Harris fellow might have a common sense idea or two...

New Progressive Party: Still thinking they have a chance to form the Official Opposition. Still nowhere close, especially after the Dog Days of Bob Rae. Also, pitting Chrystia Freeland against Christy Clark might not have been a winning move, since voters can't tell which one is the American puppet and which one is the Japanese puppet.

Christian Justice Party: Lemieux still believes that the Tories only go to church for the wine. Quite something from the Member who loudly declared that "The Lord is in me" in the Commons and got censured by a visibly corpsing Speaker.
 
After the Conquest, the Crown - Canada

Conservative Party: After Bennett and Manion got the gang back together, have been the natural governing party since the Liberation. Sir John would be proud. Or perhaps not - it was under them that the Catholics, French, Asians, and Indigenous achieved equality, and Canada had its first Catholic, female, and Jewish PMs. If there is a Heaven, it best have a well-stocked whisky bar.

Liberal Party: Between Gladstone and Keynes, the Liberals have been plagued by contradictory messaging about where their economic policies lie. Choquette's attempted "Classical Liberal" coalition in the 70s still makes that wing the butt of jokes even in the Encyclopedia Britannica. Though that Harris fellow might have a common sense idea or two...

New Progressive Party: Still thinking they have a chance to form the Official Opposition. Still nowhere close, especially after the Dog Days of Bob Rae. Also, pitting Chrystia Freeland against Christy Clark might not have been a winning move, since voters can't tell which one is the American puppet and which one is the Japanese puppet.

Christian Justice Party: Lemieux still believes that the Tories only go to church for the wine. Quite something from the Member who loudly declared that "The Lord is in me" in the Commons and got censured by a visibly corpsing Speaker.

Im curious about who Canda was liberated from! Unless its explained and I missed that point
 
Im curious about who Canda was liberated from! Unless its explained and I missed that point

It's a Kaiserreich-ish scenario that I'm putting together for my current WIP timeline. Canada spearheading the liberation of the British Isles from a socialist government.
 
Changing the Rules of the Game Halfway Through

The Government (for now)

National: Yes, caucus continues to have full confidence that Amy Adams can keep the Coalition together. No, we aren't going to call a snap election. Yes, Paula Bennett did resign of her own accord. No, it had nothing to do with the fraud allegations levelled against her after the DoSAD leak. Yes, we welcome the results of the commission of inquiry. No, we aren't going to call a snap election.
Country: Have finally delivered their report on the reasons behind their nail-bitingly close showing in 2017, and blame E Tu! for stealing their green voters, CommonSense for stealing their religious voters, Social Credit for stealing their anti-globalist voters, and Father Time for stealing their elderly voters.
CommonSense: One of their interchangeable members led a prayer vigil outside Parliament to protest the Labour members' bill for abortion law reform, and McCoskrie has threatened to pull confidence and supply if National doesn't whip the entire Government into shooting it down. Mind you, he tried to pull this move when they dropped Jesus and the Queen from the Parliamentary prayer, so apparently this is just how our country works now.
Reform: Paul Goldsmith recently had to go on the news to refute allegations that he died over the weekend. That about tells you how well they're doing.

The Opposition (or Government-in-waiting, which is a bit like Waiting for Godot at this stage)

Labour: Jamie Shaw really, really wants to be Prime Minister. He's a progressive face who can please those who voted for Robertson, without the whole "my sexual orientation is anathema to our South Auckland voters" thing. He would also be a good Prime Minister. Caucus recently swung behind his push to make New Zealand carbon-neutral by 2050. Oh, and did we mention Jamie Shaw would like to be Prime Minister?
E Tu!: The People's Hikoi was a rousing success, even if it hasn't actually resulted in any legislative change. Hone is facing assault charges for knocking out Brian Tamaki, the party is up four percent in the polls as a result, and Metiria has been featured in a number of editorial cartoons where she's knocked out Paula Bennett.
Social Credit: Bomber Bradbury has made another rambling speech about the need to tear down neoliberalism, listing the great evils of foreign ownership, failure to distribute economic gains to the people, and *checks notes* international capital, which we swear isn't code for anything. For those watching on Parliament TV, that squeaking sound is six bums edging away from him on the Opposition benches as his caucus weighs up their re-election chances.
Liberty: Bob Jones: the crossbencher so toxic that even National isn't desperate enough to work with him. Unlike any of the toxic figures in the Government, however, he's good for a laugh, so will probably be back at the next election with an increased electorate majority and two or three MPs, a development which will no doubt require the establishment of a Royal Commission to investigate whether there are that many people in New Zealand willing to sit next to Bob Jones.
 
quick and dirty scenario here, basically britain goes syndicalist in the 1910s/20s and is then successfully invaded by the exile government at a later date. consider this something of a dbwi within the universe of britons strike home.

Political Situation in the Kingdom of Great Britain as of 1952

Workers and Soldiers Associations - While the Imperial Government says otherwise, the largest political group in Britain remains the remnants of the abolished Trade Union Congress and Worker's Militia. The attempted free election of 1948 was halted only two hours after the polls closed as it became clear that they would in a landslide, and in the following strictly regulated election of 1949, turnouts were embarrassingly low.

United Empire - The dominant party of the Empire, and the occupation authority's ostensible objective of restoring the pre-revolutionary order has in practice meant turning Britain into an Imperialist heartland. Needless to say this has not been successful, and the modifications made to the post-1948 parliament have effectively packed the legislature with appointed MPs who are overwhelmingly Imperialist.

Liberal-Conservative - While the Imperialists talk the talk of restoring pre-revolutionary values whilst in reality replicating the corporatism first innovated in Canada, the LibCons are genuinely committed to the project. As such they take rather too much pleasure in the demolition of the socialist tenement blocks and seem to be very upset the Imperialists have not restored the House of Lords.

Cooperative Commonwealth - Lots of people saying that they've been infilitrated by the syndies. And they are probably right. Voting for them is very much suppressed, which unfortunately for the Imperial Government is a very good way of turning bourgeois social democrats into revolutionary syndicalists. Worse, the Imperial Government hasn't committed to this decision and they remain entirely legal.
 
General Overlook of Parties in Spoil the Broth

Major Federal
Agriculturalist:
Centre-right, broadly. Can be centre-left sometimes. Tends social conservative, but they're mostly all about that rural stuff. Surprisingly against the Unionists' floating of an EF referendum because farm trade to Europe is very important. They have the PM, Minette Batters
Social Democratic: Basically a weird mix of New Labour, soggy Lib Dems and "Smithite" Soft Left. Those days, they're under the leadership of Ed Miliband, who succeeded his brother. Standard nepotistic accusations flop since Ed was quite critical of his brother in the leadership election
National: Broad right-wing, tends very establishment. Sometimes religious, but not as soc-con as the Unionists. Broadly supports "Stay" in any possible EF referendum. Currently led by Ruth Davidson, who is the first major party leader to be LGBT
Liberal: Vaguely centrist, tends economically liberal, but is broadly the "kingmaker" in any government that emerges out of a fractured party system. Their dream of expanding the list seats beyond 1/4 of the Parliament is popular, but unlikely to happen. Led by Nick Boles
Globalist: A weird broad-tent coalition of environmentalists, it tended left up until their nominee Charles Windsor won the Presidency, then it grew more broad, especially with the growing influence of Windsor's "Turquoise Tendency". Led by Amelia Womack and President Mike Woodin
Independent Labour: A party of both Jeremy Corbyn and "Blue Labour", it's a far-left party that tends "Old Left", but the modernisers broadly stay in control most of the time. Very much against the EF and would support "Depart" in any referendum. Led by Mark Drakeford (a "moderniser")
Unionist: The right-wing of the British spectrum, they're very much against the EF and is the loudest for "ending the Geneva gang bullying poor Britain". They're also quite social conservative, "Faith, Family and Flag", but those days, tend to be quieter in tone, especially under Caroline Jones

Minor Federal (and England)
Communist:
The Communists has struggled to enter Parliament with the ILP essentially absorbing their possible vote base. Tends to be at lots of rallies, while consistently refusing to work with the ILP. Runs with Scottish Left in Scotland and Cymru Ymlaen in Wales. Led by Andrew Murray
Roman: Oddly enough has one MP who comes from Tyne and Wear and is pretty left-wing. Overall a weird party where the campaigners dress in Roman attire and all. People seem to vote for them because they're pretty amusing. Led by Philip West
Idle Toad: A weird party name, but it's a general federation of local parties in England and won 3 seats in 2018. Generally think of it as an "alliance of residents' associations" mostly to get a chance to break into the list seats. Has no one leader
Free England: An English nationalist party, it calls for full English independence and "stop immigration". Very much anti-EF and a popular slogan of theirs that has gone mainstream is "Eff off, EF!". Some of them tend to outright say "Keep England White", but their leader Robin Tillbrook avoids that
One London: A somewhat right-wing London regional party that calls for "protecting London" and for leaving the EF. They're also somewhat localist, but this only goes so far. Generally tends to act as "the London Unionist Party". Their leader is Damian Hockney

Scotland
Scots Independent:
Scottish nationalists, basically. Tends left, but not always. Very loud about "standing up for Scotland" and all that. Used to have power in the Scots Parliament, but lost it recently to an "Unionist Coalition" which they grumble about. Led by Michael Russell
Tús Nua!Free Scotland: Scottish nationalists, but more right-wing and tends more rural. Split off in the early 2000s due to a dispute between the left-wing base and the conservative base. Merged with the Free Scotland Party, so has this weird name. Led by Liam Fox
Scottish Left: Scottish nationalists, but more left-wing and tends more urban. Split off the ILP due to John Maxton wishing to "modernise" the ILP and get rid of the plank supporting Scottish independence. Runs with the Communist Party in all elections. Led by Michael Gove
Scottish Voice: An alliance of Scottish localist parties calling for less power to be centralised and more to the regions. This is a hot topic in Scotland, and it's why they're doing well in the Scots Parliament, even if their lack of a leader means they're incoherent

Wales
Cynghrair Cymru:
The dominant party in Wales, mostly by being the biggest in a very fractured but nationalist environment. Generally tends left-wing, but not always. Has led to some conservatives calling the place "the Socialist Republic of Wales". Led by Bethan Sayed, the Princess of Wales
People's Voice: A general alliance of localist and populist forces in the Valleys, they tend to work with Idle Toad in England and Scottish Voice in Scotland to unite as one broad localist front. Has no united leader, making it fractious
Cymru Ymlaen: A left-wing Welsh nationalist party that proudly labels itself socialist, instead of the vague social-democratic entity Cynghrair Cymru is. Often calls for independence and for a real Socialist Republic of Wales. Led by Mike Hedges
Cymru Fydd: A sort of refounding of the old Cymru Fydd of the 1890s, this is a liberal and Welsh nationalist party that argues that Wales needs to stake itself as a liberal democratic republic. Hence Cymru Fydd - Free Wales. Led by Keith Morgan
Ein Gwlad: Welsh nationalists, but of the conservative variety (despite saying they're not). Tends very heavy anti-EF [unlike CC's pro-EF attitude] and generally tends to be rural and very suspicious of any immigration to Wales, English or otherwise. Led by Royston Jones

Cornwall
Mebyon Kernow:
Cornish nationalist, they tend centre-left and broadly left-liberal/social democratic, but generally is more about the language and culture and pushing for Cornwall to be seen as distinct. Dick Cole's hunger strike in 1999 brought them to notability and led to Cornwall formally being split off from England and more power to be given to their County Council, which led to full Home Rule in 2009. Led by Derek Collins
Cornish Nationalist: Cornish nationalist (duh), they tend right-wing and conservative, but distinguish themselves from MK by their more hardline view on independence. While MK is generally happy with Home Rule at the moment the CNP isn't and demand "Kernoxit". Led by Loic Rich
 
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That name's a bit brutish, don't you think?
In case you weren't aware, E Tu is Te Reo Maori for 'stand up/stand tall', which is often used early in a haka if the participants are kneeling at the start, and is also the name of a large trade union.

You can tell the difference between an Anglo and a Kiwi by seeing whether they make a Brutus joke when they see the name of the union or a haka joke when they read Julius Caesar.
 
In case you weren't aware, E Tu is Te Reo Maori for 'stand up/stand tall', which is often used early in a haka if the participants are kneeling at the start, and is also the name of a large trade union.

You can tell the difference between an Anglo and a Kiwi by seeing whether they make a Brutus joke when they see the name of the union or a haka joke when they read Julius Caesar.
See, the first thought that came to mind when I read it was "E noho, Caesar", since it's alongside e tu as one of the two primary commands in the Maori version of the Anglican service.
 
The United Kingdom of Ireland And West Britain, 1960

Tribe of the Nations and We, The Workers are both in agreement: the government needs to better calm down the sectarian and ethnic tensions in West Northumbria, for the anglos and the Orthodox and even the Orthodox anglos are still citizens of the UK. Only that will stop another night of rioting in Ripon and the York border towns, and prevent another outbreak of ENA violence.

Unfortunately the Gaellic Society is the government and they came to power promising an end to "capitulation with the wrecker and pharisee", as Taoiseach Paisley put it. Rumour has it soldiers will be put on the streets for the first time since the Haakonic Wars, helping the garda 'keep the peace' at the southern border. London has said it will consider this a provocation and already has soldiers helping process refugees at York, but 67% of the non-anglo voters don't care.

Remember, us wonks will look at the crisis and see it as a crisis of complicated ethnic, religious, and historical dimensions, and of course We, The Workers and their fellow volkists see this through the lens of working class unity. Most people are far away from West Northumbria, either due to the sea or because they're up in Alba. Anglo issues are something for students or to complain about those slovens who aren't a patch on the good, hard-working negro and Oriental diasporas. Why can't they stop moaning?

This is unlikely to lead to a war - stop asking, Mexicans - but it could lead to the long-threatened blockade of trade, and that will kick us back into recession. Too many Irish think England won't risk it. They forget about the North Europe Trade Agreement. Watch this space.
 
The United States of America is a peculiar country with a peculiar history. Much of the recent problems it has today stems from the political instability of the post-2nd Civil War era of the 1940s-1970s, along with General Westmoreland's regime from 1973-1979. Today, while it is improving, many stereotypes of the US being a poor, racist backwater persist. Yet these stereotypes have led to a surge of interest in the country among Europeans and Asians, more specifically, an interest into their politics. Here is a list of parties and factions which can better help explain America's political landscape.

Farmer-Labor Party: The FLP, founded in 1934 as a reaction to President Moody has billed itself as "America's oldest and most foward-thinking political party". Nearly winning in the 1936 elections, its leaders set up a provisional out of St. Paul during the Second Civil War, which was recognized as the legitimate government of the United States during that time. It lent its support for a nonpartisan caretaker president led by General Eisehower in 1944, yet his assassination (considered to be the reason for America's instability) in 1945 by a former communist led to, under the guidelines set by the second constitution, a new election. The FLP, who had nominated Philip La Follette for president, ran a left-wing populist campaign and won in a landslide against the various further left and right-wing candidates. La Follette is considered one of America's greatest presidents for his domestic reforms, yet he would also be killed, this time in a plane crash while flying to Paris in 1952. The FLP's presidents after that were a varying shade of mediocre, leading to workers and farmers, the very people they were supposed to represent becoming more and more disillusioned by them. The 1972 Presidential Election led to the victory of Samuel Friedman under the Socialist Party banner, leading to a right-wing military coup. The FLP would become one of the staunchest opponents of the Westmoreland regime, and when democracy returned in 1979 the FLP won the elections. Presidents Bayh and Nunn would oversee economic reforms which led to the average American having a better standard of living, and would crush far-right paramilitaries following the end of segregation. Today the FLP is considered to be the natural governing party, and its main areas of strength are the Plains States, the Midwest and the West Coast.

National Democratic Party: To understand the National Democrats, one would have to go back to their predecessors - the National Party. The National Party was founded by former Republicans in the wake of the Eisenhower assassination. Considering themselves to be the heirs of Lincoln and Eisenhower, they are primarily a business party and tend to be moderate on social issues. They were staunchest opponents of Presidents La Follette, Kerr and Freeman in the 1950s and 1960s, and many of their leaders collaborated with the Westmoreland regime. Yet there were some Nationals who refused to join the Westmoreland regime, and instead broke off and formed the National Democratic Party. The National Party lost heavily in the 1979 elections, and eventually the NatDems overtook them in popularity, eventually winning in 1999. Presidents Romney and Rossi have broken the FLP's dominance, and in 2019 the NatDems hope to do so again. Their main areas of stength are in the Northeast and West Coast.

American Patriotic Alliance: The APA is not so much a political party as much as it is an electoral coalition of various right wing and far-right parties. Many times, it has faced rifts and many people thought that they would collapse, yet they never do. It was founded in the late 1980s during the Bayh presidency.

The parties in the alliance are:

Constitution Party: America's second oldest party, founded by southerners disappointed by the northern-dominated National Party. It has been opposed to desegregation (though it has toned down much of their racial views), progressivism, socialism all of Bayh and Nunn's reforms. Because of its southern dominance, it has never won an election, yet there have been man times where it almost did. Many accuse some of their politicians of having ties with far-right paramilitaries, and while some of these allegations are true, most are false. Some members want a return to the original constitution, yet they have never managed to make that a part of the platform. Main areas of strength are in the south, and they've given up trying to expand elsewhere.
American Party: Succeeds in the North where the Constitutionalists don't, and is generally more right-wing populist then them. Aside from that, not much of a difference.
Front for Values: The Christian right party, yet has alienated many potential Catholic, Mormon and Jewish allies with their rhetoric. Despite the latent prejudices their members have, they are actually pretty racially tolerant and don't engage in the dogwhistle rhetoric the Constitutionalists do.
Continuity National Party: People who look back at the Westmoreland era with a sort of nostalgia, and are either apologists for the regime or just look at its excesses and shrug and say, "so?". Really just a part of the alliance because everyone just sorta feels bad for them. Main area of strength tends to be in the Northeast and South Carolina, Westmoreland's state of origin.
Socialist Party: The Socialist Party serves as a home for those disappointed at the supposed moderation of the FLP, and this disappointment has led to periods of success in the 1970s. It has heralded itself as "America's only true democratic party", and have attacked the FLP and NDP as two sides of the same coin. Following Westmoreland's death in 1979, the party agreed to a political alliance with the FLP, granted that they implement some of their own reforms. However, while their relationship with Bayh was cordial, they soured with Nunn and broke off in the early 1990s. However, they have not been able to build up their past strength, and have not been able to get more than 15% in an election since the 1970s. Their main areas of strength are in the West Coast, Hawaii along with some areas in the Midwest.

Latter-day Saints Party: Mormon conservatives in Utah and beyond that can't vote for the explicitly Protestant Front for Values.

America First Party: People who are too far-right for the APA. Westmoreland did nothing wrong and didn't go far enough in some areas, make nukes and use it on the Comintern, oh and antisemitism and racism, can't forget that.

(OOC: I am imagining the US ITTL having an HDI similar to Tunisia or something)
 
By Hand Or By Brain

The Three Arms of the British Menshevist State, published by Liberty Press (1958)

The functions of British Menshevism are best described as falling into three arms, each of which mirrors to an extent the emblem of the state itself - the Spade, Quill and Torch.

Spade - The Trades Union Congress

Once upon a time a respectable labor organization like our own AFL, the TUC has been subverted and now functions as a legislature of sorts. Its constituencies are now the numerous unions of the country, elected by multi-member proportional representation within each constituency with each union being given delegates that reflect its membership's proportion of the population at large. While party membership is officially banned, the nonpartisanship of the Congress is critically flawed as candidates for election must be members of the Menshevist trade unions, ensuring that all elections effectively reproduce the Menshevist proletarian dictatorship.

Quill - The National Planning Board

Where the TUC represents the teeming mass of the proletariat, the NPB represents the intelligentsia - the new class of ideologically pure bureaucrats who govern and manage the means of production on behalf of the workers who ostensibly control it. While officially, the NPB obeys the instructions of the TUC it is clear to outside observers that the opposite is the case - the real power in the land is in the hands of unelected bureaucrats who hand out their directives without fear or favour.

Torch - The Constitutional Commission

Far from the grey concrete chambers of the TUC and the oak pannelled halls of the NPB are the grim smoke filled dungeons of the CC, the British equivalent of the Cheka. Despite Britain's official nonpartisanship, there are those who espouse doctrines contrary to the state-cult of Menshevism. The CC keeps these individuals contained, or silence them altogether - putting the lie to Britain's loud claims on the international stage of preserving the expanding the bounds of British liberty.
 
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