Advance Britannia! - A Kaiserreich Restored United Kingdom AAR

[LordTempest]

That or joined up a militia in the UK during liberation if we assume we was "born" with his views and due to the circumstances was able to serve and correct what was his OTL "biggest mistake".

We're talking about a guy who became a professor in his early 20's IRL, then left his cushy teaching job in Australia to go and fight German fascism: I think it's safe to assume that Powell was a man of strongly-held views which were formed at a very young age. I could certainly see him taking up arms against the Syndies either in a local militia or in one of the Entente armed forces.

 

[George_VI]

The point of divergence for KR is about 1917 I think, so I'd just say he stayed in Britain during the revolution and never went to Australia, lived out his youth in seething quiet hatred for the syndicalists, and then had a bit of dubious involvement in the Restoration followed by an entry into politics to carry on giving apocalyptic speeches about syndicalism instead of immigrants.

 

[DystopianAlphaOmega]

Another great part of the epilogue. It seems that British politics in this timeline are increasingly resembling Canadian politics in the same period (which seems appropriate considering how many of the elite must have been influenced in some way by their sojourn in the great white north).

The Liberals are fairly dominant with the Conservatives managing to take power the public gets tired of the "natural governing party." A third place socialist party which waxes and wanes with the success of the Liberal Party. With the goals of the left wing being largely achieved when the Liberals appropriate their ideas to ward off challenges from the left.

I may be reading too much into it, but I found it a neat parallel.

Also great to see the Cubans as the counterrevolutionary vanguard in Latin America. Should be interesting to see how things turn out.

Keep up the great writing!

 

[Davisx3m]

Love the epilogue!

 

[George_VI]

Epilogue V: 1980-1984
Music:

1980
February 1980 saw the airing of the first episode of the BBC's new comedy series "Yes, Minister", telling the story of the hapless cabinet minister Jim Hacker, and Humphrey Appleby, his senior advisor. The series went on to be a great success, spawning several series and specials.

In April, on the 4th, the Russian High Commissioner to Libya was assassinated with a car bomb in Tobruk, leading to reprisals by the Russians and the beginning of a second insurgency. The reprisals were met with indignant British protests, and shady dealings involving Libyan militias and certain amounts of small arms.

On the 8th of May 1980 the Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Thorpe, resigned from his post, citing "personal reasons" for his departure. Often well-liked by the press, the circumstances around Thorpe's resignation were nonetheless subjected to intense speculation, especially given news on it was brief and unexpected.

Jeremy Thorpe MP, former Foreign Secretary
​

Fighting unexpectedly broke out in July 1980, in London of all places. On the 14th shooting and shouting was heard from the Russian Embassy in London, and it quickly became apparent that the building had been taken over by gunmen. After contact with the Metropolitan Police it was clear there had been a number of hostages taken, by a group calling itself the "Baltic People's Liberation Army". After negotiations failed the Cabinet decided to employ the SAS, and the Embassy was retaken on the 19th, following a short battle that involved soldiers abseiling down the front of the building in front of the press, and the use of explosives and stun grenades. Two of the eight terrorists were killed in the assault, as was one of the hostages, a Russian civil servant. One SAS man was slightly wounded. Russia thanked Britain for its actions in freeing the Russian staff at the Embassy, and the Russian ambassador later visited the Prime Minister to give his thanks.

SAS soldiers pictured on the balcony of the Russian Embassy in London during the siege
​

In October the economy began to tank again, as the country hit a recession head-on. Unemployment began to rise and people started finding it harder to buy everything they needed. The government was heavily criticised, although they insisted that they were doing everything in their power to control the damage.

December saw the death of noted film director Alfred Hitchcock, at the age of 81. Known for such classic films as "Vertigo" and "Rear Window", Hitchcock had been an important figure on the British artistic scene since the restoration, and was known to be a favourite of the Royal family.

1981
On the 4th of January 1981 the Royal family faced a death, as Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, passed away at the age of 97. Alice was the last surviving grandchild of Queen Victoria, and a godmother to Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Her funeral was attended by Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Countess of Athlone pictured in Royal Canadian Air Force uniform, ca. 1936
​

On the 27th of March 1981, Russian forces were defeated in open battle for the first time by the Libyan Arabic Liberation Front, at the Battle of Sirte. Several Russian tanks were destroyed, and almost 200 Russian troops killed. The defeat was humiliating for Russia, and their international standing was heavily damaged.

Destroyed Russian equipment after the Battle of Sirte
​

In June New Zealand became independent, several months behind schedule. The new nation was constituted as the Dominion of New Zealand, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with Elizabeth II as head of state. Essentially, nothing changed regarding foreign affairs, and New Zealand reaffirmed its commitment to the Entente and the Commonwealth.

August saw the Liberal government heavily slated for sweeping cuts to public services, with much funding for the NHS and armed forces losing out in the name of curbing the recession. The next month unemployment hit 1.3 million.

The November 1981 General Election was underwhelming for the Liberals, who lost 14 seats, almost all of which were claimed by Labour in a targeted campaign. The Conservatives also failed to make any gains, losing two seats. Other parties took home ten between them.

The 1981 Parliament

Margaret Thatcher on the campaign trial in 1981; her personally-focused campaign seemed not to wash with the electorate, and the party lost two seats overall

David Steel was brutally treated by the media, as seen here in his puppet likeness that often appeared in "Spitting Image"; however much Steel tried to embrace the humour the Liberals still suffered at the 1981 election
​

1982
The year started off badly for the government, as most polls began showing the Conservatives now beating the Liberals for public popularity, albeit only with a marginal lead.

In March the Centroamérican rebel and Entente forces won the last proper battle of the war, the Battle of Guatemala City. The syndicalists were now expelled from every major city in the country, and they withdrew into the mountains.

Centurion tanks prior to the Battle of Guatemala City; the Centurion was outdated, and had long been replaced in British service with the Chieftain, but it remained in service with foreign armies, the Centroamérican rebels among them​

April saw the first major defeat for Russia in their overseas territories. A Second Republic was proclaimed in Tripoli, and this time Tripoli, Tobruk, Sirte and Derna were all totally overrun by revolutionaries. After two uprisings and several pitched battles the Russians were left almost 11,000 men worse off and with a string of questionable cases of conduct in the war. On the 19th of May 1982 the Russians granted independence to Libya. Two days later the Second Libyan Republic became the sole claimant to all of Libya, and Russia withdrew.

The flag of the Second Libyan Republic is waved atop an abandoned Russian tank in Tripoli
​

The Centroamérican War finally ended on the 21st of July 1982, after British, Canadian, French, Polish, Cuban and, of course, Centroamérican, delegates met to discuss the Geneva Accord. The eventual deal brokered replaced the Centroamérican Socialist Republic with the United Provinces of Central America, a constitutional republic. Free elections were scheduled, and an amnesty granted for syndicalists in the country as per the agreement. The war was finally over, with a projected two million casualties to its name, including some 14,000 British, and 91,000 Entente casualties overall.

The Geneva Peace Accords in progress, 1982
​

In September 1982 Margaret Thatcher, at a press conference, stated her belief that the growing number of single-parent families was concerning, but hurriedly added that she was not opposed to divorce. The line was picked up on by the press quickly, and Thatcher saw her approval ratings slip slightly after the incident.

Margaret Thatcher at a 1982 press conference
​

Shortly after this press conference the Conservative Party held its annual conference in October. Thatcher rolled out her trademark plans for privatisation, making public her ideas for privatised rail and, surprisingly, healthcare, believing that these were "holdovers from syndicalism" and would be "much better handled by the free market". The policy received mixed reviews, proving very popular with old exiles and traditionalists, while newer Tories thought it was a step too far. The Liberals were quick to seize on this, and took every opportunity to lambaste the party over it.

In November, on the 18th, Sir Douglas Bader, the almost-legendary fighting pilot of the post-restoration wars, died at the age of 72. Bader was hugely acclaimed for being one of very few pilots to see action despite having no legs, and he had spent a time as a prisoner of the Germans in 1940.

Bader pictured with Adolf Galland in 1978; Galland was an old adversary of Bader's, having fought with the German Luftstreitkrafte; he later became an advisor to the embryonic Prussian Air Force​

The end of the year saw the Liberal government declare an end to the recession, as unemployment sagged back down to 750,000. Although prices were still quite high, inflation settled down. By this point the Liberals had regained the lead, outstripping the Tories by seven points in the polls, an increase attributed to the successful conclusion of the Centroamérican War and the mixed reception of Thatcher's policies.

1983
February saw the first time the Monster Raving Loony Party stood for election, putting up Screaming Lord Sutch, their leader, in the Bermondsey by-election. The seat was clung onto by the Liberals, although Labour slashed their majority to just 721.

Screaming Lord Sutch, leader of the Monster Raving Loony Party, at the 1983 Bermondsey by-election
​

In April Richard Attenborough's "Jinnah" was first screened in the UK. Featuring Peter Cushing, known as Grand Moff Tarkin in "Star Wars", as the well-known Indian politician who had led India to peaceful home rule in the 1920s, it went on to win nine Academy Awards.

​

On the 17th of June 1983 an Ipsos MORI poll put the Liberals at eleven points ahead of the Conservatives. On the 18th, Steel himself appeared on Question Time, putting up an admirable performance in defending the government's record. On the 23rd the Prime Minister announced his intention to call an early General Election, seizing the sudden surge in Liberal support.

A few days after the announcement, the BBC aired the first episode of "Blackadder", the comedy series starring Rowan Atkinson as the unfavoured son of the medieval King of England.

"Blackadder": the series also starred Tony Robinson and Tim McInnerny
​

The country went to the polls on the 31st of August, and Steel's gamble paid off - sort of. In the end, the Conservatives tanked and lost 30 seats, slipping down to 220. However, the Liberals lost two, going down to 328. What had taken place was some sort of political musical chairs. The Conservatives had lost seats to the Liberals, while the Liberals had lost about as many seats to Labour, led now by Roy Hattersley Labour was where the real shock came from, as they gained a massive 33 seats, increasing their number then to 93. Thatcher's post-election speech proclaimed "the lady's not for turning" in response to calls from her own party to u-turn on her policy, but it received a lukewarm response.

The 1983 Parliament
​

Labour's celebrations were almost cut short on the 3rd of September, after Neil Kinnock, Labour's Home Affairs spokesman, suffered a car accident when his Ford Sierra overturned on the M4. Fortunately he escaped uninjured from the crash.

Neil Kinnock MP, Labour's Home Affair's spokesman
​

In December the House of Lords voted to allow television broadcasting of its proceedings to take place. This was the first such move by any legislative chamber in the world, and many peers hoped it would improve transparency. Many watchers were disappointed, however, to find that the proceedings were somewhat less exciting than they had been led to believe.

1984
The assaults on Russia stepped up as 1984 dawned. On the 7th of January a Russian military transport aircraft was brought down by an explosion over the Kola Peninsula. The four-engined aircraft had been flying from an airbase in Karelia, where many Finnish service personnel worked. An investigation determined that the plane was downed by a bomb hidden in the landing gear bay. Despite the media blackout in Russia, it was later ascertained that Russian authorities had executed seven Finnish mechanics for the bombing.

Wreckage of the Russian air force transport brought down over the Kola Peninsula; the aircraft was flying at low level when the explosion occurred, and the wreckage was distributed over a fairly small area
​

In March there was bad news for the government, as a series of leaked memos revealed dodgy arms dealings between Vickers and the authoritarian government of Bulgaria. Normally this could have been a rather minor affair, but for the important detail that Jeremy Thorpe, former Foreign Secretary, was a big shareholder in Vickers, and that these sales had been made in 1979, while he held that job. Speculation emerged that David Steel had known about this, and allowed Thorpe to quietly resign in 1980, before the scandal broke, although the Prime Minister denied any complicity. In April, the month after, another batch of leaked papers showed that Steel had, in fact, known about the dealings of Thorpe, prompting public outrage. Following pressure from the Cabinet, David Steel resigned as Prime Minister on the 18th of April 1984.

Vickers Larks, British-made light ground attack aircraft, in Bulgarian service in the 1980s

David Steel at a press conference at the height of the Thorpe Scandal, as it became known; Steel's nervous-looking asides to other ministers contributed to a feeling that something was going on
​

Similar rumblings were going on in the Conservative Party, however. In May the Tories were still lagging behind in the polls by at least four points, in spite of the Thorpe Scandal. Thatcher's "the lady's not for turning" speech after the Tories' 1983 General Election humiliation infuriated many senior Conservatives, and by June there were rumours of a leadership challenge. It came in early July, from Michael Heseltine, the Shadow Chancellor, who stated that he "felt it was time for Margaret to step down and let someone else take the reigns". Thatcher vowed to fight the subsequent leadership election, but it ultimately failed. Thatcher polled only 34% of the vote, while Heseltine gained 55%. 11% of the party voted for John Major, an outsider candidate.

Margaret Thatcher announces her plans now that she is no longer Conservative leader

Michael Heseltine, the new Conservative leader, shortly after his victory in the leadership challenge
​

In September 1984 war broke out in the Balkans, as an insurgency began in Kosovo. Within days the insurgency had blown up into a full war between Albania and Serbia, who claimed Kosovo. Britain remained officially neutral in the matter, as the fighting escalated.

On the 19th of October Baku, in Azerbaijan, was struck by an explosion outside government administrative buildings. The explosion came from a lorry parked across the street, and killed 29 people and wounded 134. The self-styled "Azeri People's Army" claimed responsibility for the attack, demanding an end to "Russian imperialism" in the region.

Scenes in Baku after the 19th of October terror attacks​

 

[stnylan]

Not surprised that Thatcher didn't get much traction - there were troubles in this timeline's 70s, but nothing to truly match what propelled Thatcher to power in our own.

I mean, the other side has to get pretty extreme for Thatcher to be the moderate for 3 successive elections

 

[Nikolai]

Thatcher didn't get the PM position? Heresy.

 

[Nuada Airgetlám]

Troubled, if not as brutal as OTL 80's.

 

[George_VI]

Epilogue VI: 1985-1989
Music:

1985
In January 1985 the British political scene was rocked by a monumental event. The Liberal Party had long been split over the issue of syndicalism and left-wing politics in Britain. There many who thought that the party did not do enough to facilitate open debate on left-wing policy, and that they perpetuated the taboo surrounding left-wing politics that had so restricted the Labour Party. Such divisions were not to be found in the Conservative Party; as a right-wing party, few left-wingers were to be found among their ranks, but the Liberals were home to many centre-left and social democrat politicians. These divisions finally burst on the 18th of January 1985, as a group of Liberal politicians decided to split from the party and establish their own. The result was "Democratic Socialist Party", or "DSP". It was established as a centre-left party by prominent Liberal MPs, including Shirley Williams and Bill Rodgers. The split was a massive shock to Liberal leader and Prime Minister David Owen, who later claimed he had never imagined the division was that serious. This split crashed the Liberals' already marginal popularity, and in one poll the party was rated at only 32%.

Shirley Williams and Bill Rodgers, two founding members of the DSP
​

Meanwhile, the Conservatives under Heseltine had undergone a modernisation of their public image. Heseltine became the dashing, modern figurehead for a party claiming to be ready to "take Britain into the future". Seeing the developments in the opposition, Heseltine led a campaign to soften the Conservatives' stance on the legacy of syndicalism. The party ditched all the anti-leftist material that it had campaigned on for years, realising that, with the rise of the centre-left, it was unlikely to get them far.

On the 11th of March another terrorist attack occurred in Russia, this time at sea, a few miles out of the port at Rostov-on-Don in the south, onboard Tsargrad, a Russian oil tanker exporting oil from Azerbaijan. At 0400 hours a loud explosion was heard near the bottom of the ship, sparking a blaze in one of the oil tanks. As it turned out, the ship's fire control systems failed to trigger, and the fire was quickly out of hand. At 0530 the order to abandon ship was given. By then the hole created by the explosion had flooded part of the ship, causing it to heel over to port. With the fire out of control and the ship beginning to list, the crew took to the boats. Eventually, the fire burned itself out, and the flooding was restricted to only a few watertight compartments and oil tanks, and the ship was later inspected by helicopter and taken under tow. Responsibility for the incident was claimed by a group calling itself the "Don Cossack Liberation Front".

Tsargrad dead in the water in the Black Sea, shortly after being abandoned
​

In June the poem "V" was published by poet Tony Harrison. With its use of profanity and "obscene", as one Tory MP called it, language, it was often slated by politicians. A motion to have it banned in the House of Commons was quickly shouted down, and the MP who started the motion was scoffed and left disgraced.

October 1985 saw an extraordinary development on the continent, as the Entente unanimously agreed to allow the creation of a "Northwest German Confederation". Despite the peace treaty with Germany in 1940 banning German unification, this union between the North German Federation and the Rhenish Republic was consented to by the Entente, and the new state quickly acceded to Entente membership. The Northwest German capital was to be at Cologne in the Rhineland, and it adopted a style of flag similar in design to that of the Nordic nations.

The flag of the Northwest German Confederation from 1985
​

November saw the country go to the polls for the 1985 General Election, and the result was resounding. The Liberals crashed down from 328 seats to only 197. The Conservatives swept to victory with 331, while the Labour Party took 95. The new DSP won a total of 21 seats, while other parties gained 6. Following the election Michael Heseltine went to the Palace, where Her Majesty the Queen invited him to form a government.

Heseltine leaves his home in London two days after the election; his tendency to dress somewhat more casually unless it could be avoided was noted, positively or negatively, by many

The 1985 Parliament, showing the DSP in pink
​

1986
On the 8th of January 1986 the famous English poet Philip Larkin passed away at his home in Hull at the age of 63. Hull was widely considered his adopted home town, and he had worked as the head librarian at the University of Hull for 25 years.

Philip Larkin, one of Hull's most famous residents, even if he wasn't born there to start with
​

In March the British and French governments agreed to co-operate on the construction of a tunnel under the English Channel to link the two countries. In April the "Anglo-French Cross-Channel Tunneling Concern" was founded, and began drawing up plans for the massive project, the first of its kind in the world.

In May 1986 Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh headed east by the Royal Yacht, bound for China. This was to be the first state visit to China by a British monarch, and was designed to improve relations between the two nations. The Queen and Duke visited various places in China, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and met with Emperor Pujie of China.

Her Majesty the Queen tours the Terracotta Army in China

HM the Queen and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh visit the Great Wall of China during their state visit
​

In June Parliament passed the Shops Act 1986, which lifted restrictions on Sunday trading in Britain. The bill passed by a narrow margin of just four votes, being heavily opposed by traditionalist Tory MPs.

July saw the beginning of the Cyprus Insurgency, as Greek and Turkish Cypriots both rose up against Russian rule over the island. Bitter street fighting ensued, and in what became known as the Limassol Incident, 24 Greek Cypriots were mistakenly killed by a Russian helicopter strike; the incident was condemned by the Entente.

Russian equipment lays destroyed and abandoned after a partisan ambush near Nicosia
​

In October polls were showing the DSP were slowly climbing in the polls, and now held as high as 21%. The Tories, however, were said to have climbed up by some 4% since the 1985 election. The Liberals by now are decimated, at as low as 27%.

On the 19th of December 1986 the Earl of Stockton, better know to the public as Harold Macmillan, died at the age of 92. Widely considered "the best Prime Minister we never had", Macmillan was a respected statesman and much-loved figure in British politics.

Harold Macmillan pictured here in 1986, clearly in ill health during his later years
​

1987
New Year in 1987 saw an extremely cold winter, with temperatures falling to sub-zero levels and the country being hit with huge snowfall. In some places cars were buried and homes completely snowed-in.

The east coast was battered for almost a week straight by high gales and rough seas
​

March 1987 saw the ending of the Cyprus Insurgency with the signing of the Ankara Declaration. Fatigued from the insurgencies in Iraq and Libya, the Russians were more willing to come to the table this time round. The Declaration acknowledged Cyprus as an independent state from Russia, and called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the island within a month.

Almost as soon as one insurgency ended for Russia, another began, this time in Russian possessions in what was widely considered part of Turkey. In May 1987 Armenians, Kurds and Turks began insurgencies and terror campaigns in Russian-controlled eastern Anatolia, and Greeks and Turks rose up in Thrace and Istanbul. Within the Turkish State itself Greek militant groups in Izmir began campaigns of violence in order to obtain their objectives. On the 27th of May 1987 a bus in Istanbul was blown up by a bomb planted by the "Greek Front", and in Trabzon a road bridge was brought down by Armenian terrorists.

The aftermath of a terror attack in Istanbul by Greek extremists
​

In August 1987 the Anglo-Chinese Partnership Agreement was signed, providing for defence co-operation between Britain and China. The Agreement also transferred the Shandong Peninsula back to China, after it had been seized from Germany after that country's defeat in the 1940s. Britain still maintained control over the city of Qingdao itself, but set a timetable of fifty-five years until the British coastal cities would be given a referendum each on sovereignty.

On the night of the 15th of October a storm began developing over the Bay of Biscay, and in the early hours of the 16th it hit Britain. Famously, the BBC weather presenter Michael Fish had claimed there would be no such storm just hours earlier. The resulting storm was so fierce it became the "Great Storm", killing 22 people and causing millions of pounds worth of damage.

A Sealink ferry beached near Harwich after the extremely rough seas caused by the Great Storm
​

The winter of 1987 saw Russia plunged into turmoil huge demonstrations broke out in Russia, in Ukraine, Belarus, the Kuban, the Caucasus, the Baltic and Finland, as well as in Turkestan. All called for independence for their respective peoples, and an end to oppression under the autocratic Russian regime. Many in Russia feared open revolution on their doorstep, and it appeared that now would be crunch time for the government on this most important of issues.

Protests and demonstrations for independence in Minsk, Belarus
​

1988
The demonstrations in the Russian Empire continued for weeks, spilling over into the next year. The military option, the Russian administration decided, would be catastrophic. Sending tanks and helicopters might have been possible to get away with in Libya and Cyprus, but tanks on the streets on Helsinki, Kiev of Minsk would be suicidal for the country. In February 1988 the Russian government convened the Tsaritsyn Conference to meet with regional delegates and broker a deal.

In March the Prime Minister, Michael Heseltine, toured Europe, visiting Poland, Bohemia and Slovakia. In an address in Poland he called for self-determination for the people of Galicia, which had been forcibly annexed by Russia during the collapse of the Communard occupation of Poland.

The Prime Minister visits units of the Royal Armoured Corps, taking part in Britain's standing defence commitment to Poland
​

April saw another shocking development in British politics, as the DSP announced a merger with the Labour Party. After discussions with Neil Kinnock, the new Labour leader, the two parties merged to form the Democratic Labour Party. Still largely dominated by the former Labour Party, the DLP was usually referred to as the Labour Party anyway.

Neil Kinnock MP, leader of the new Democratic Labour Party, delivers a speech calling for a "fairer society" as part of the rebranding of the left-wing that took place during the 1980s
​

In June the British government began discussions with the Northwest German Confederation over the future of Hanover. After the British monarch's rights to the throne of Hanover had been reasserted after the defeat of Germany, this large Crown Dependency had existed as something of an anomaly in German geopolitics since 1940. Although represented in the Imperial Parliament with several dozen members, and afforded universal suffrage and civil liberties, Hanover had, of course, experienced its own share of discontent. Many had called for self-determination, and in May an unofficial referendum was held, in which 96% of Hanover's inhabitants voted in favour of a change in the territory's status. These talks in June resulted in an agreement with the Northwest German Confederation, that, following a referendum on the matter, Hanover would become a part of the Confederation. However, its ties to Britain would be retained, as the new Grand Duchy of Hanover would become a federal state within the Confederation, with Her Majesty the Queen as the inaugural Grand Duchess. Although a mostly formal role, it was hoped this state of affairs would foster good relations between Britain and the Northwest German Confederation.

Flag of the Grand Duchy of Hanover, a federal state within the Northwest German Confederation
​

Michael Heseltine took a gamble in August, as he called a General Election for November that year. Banking on what he saw as the crippled Liberals and the embryonic Democratic Labour Party, Heseltine hoped to increase his majority, which was only a mere six seats following the 1985 General Election. The country went to the polls on the 4th of November 1988.

Michael Heseltine at a press conference, after the launch of the Conservatives' "A New Britain" manifesto

Neil Kinnock's visit to Brighton with his wife Gladys as part of the 1988 campaign didn't quite go to plan

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Major, on his way to a speech in Downing Street, with his aides

David Owen, still leader of the Liberals, attempts to drum up support, apparently unsuccessfully in this instance
​

The result of the election, however, shook Heseltine, and indeed the country, to its core. The Conservatives did not increase their majority. In fact, they lost a grand total of ninety nine of its seats. The Liberals were even more crippled, losing 145 seats and falling from 197 to a meagre 52. The new Democratic Labour Party, presented a fresh, shiny new image, and bolstered with the support of the old DSP, won a shocking landslide victory, pulling in 344 seats overall. The performance of the Conservatives and Liberals was also hampered by the success of several candidates of the Scottish Nationals and the new Green Party; together, other parties and independents took 22 seats. Following the defeats, the Liberal leader, David Owen, resigned, although Michael Heseltine decided to stay on for another go at government in the next election.

The 1988 Parliament
​

1989
Breakthroughs in the Tsaritsyn Conference were made in January 1989 after nearly a year of negotiations and bickering. The result was devolved assemblies set up for the three Caucasus nations, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In the Baltic States a devolved assembly was also set up, but not for each of the three Baltic nations. Instead, a new administrative entity, "Pribaltika", was set up, encompassing Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Ukrainian and Byelorussian assemblies were also established, as was one in Finland. However, the people of the Kuban and Turkestan were unsuccessful in their efforts, and did not receive any concessions. The question of Iraqi devolution or self-rule was entirely denied, as was that for Turks and Armenians in Trabzon, Thrace and the Dardanelles.

Ukrainian representatives at the Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev celebrate their devolution on the 31st of January 1989; in the first elections to the Ukrainian Parliament, the Ukrainian National Party won a majority of seats
​

The result of the Tsaritsyn Conference outraged many, despite its granting of devolution to many areas. February 1989 saw a spate of terror attacks across Russia, including in Tsargrad (formerly Constantinople), Baghdad, Mosul, Tashkent, Astana, Yekaterinodar and even in Vladivostok. The latter attack sparked debate in the Russian Far East on the status of that area and Siberia.

Wreckage left by a terrorist attack in Yekaterinodar
​

In April 1989 the Republic of Venezuela was admitted into the Entente following negotiations. Venezuela had experienced brief naval skirmishes with Britain in the 1940s, but the latter had also supported them against the syndicalists with armaments in the 50s and 60s. The admission of Venezuela into the Entente marked the occasion of the first South American country becoming part of the alliance.

The construction of the Channel Tunnel began in June 1989. Although a project started under previous governments, it had been supported by Labour from the beginning and was commenced in the early stages of the Kinnock ministry.

Construction of the Channel Tunnel underway in 1989
​

August saw the first televised House of Commons debate. Following the success of broadcast Lords debates, the Commons went live in 1989. Although only a somewhat dry Backbench Business debate, it attracted some 200,000 viewers.

Iraq was thrown into crisis against in October 1989. A Second Iraqi Republic was declared in Baghdad, and fighting broke out there, as well as in Kuwait, Basra, Mosul and Erbil. Again the Russians sent in the tanks, and again brutal warfare went on.

Fighting in northern Iraq; the Second Iraqi War of Independence, as it became known, saw the first time Kurdish rebels rose up in open rebellion against Russia in numbers​

 

[AvatarOfKhaine]

No Thatcher, and then we get Kinnock.

Truly Britain is doomed. PM Cherie Blair for full dystopia as first women PM when?

 

[Nuada Airgetlám]

The Russian Empire sounds as if it needs large structural change, but isn't going to get it peacefully.

 

[Nikolai]

Go go North German Federation! This is so cool.

 

[Lord Garmadon G Rulez]

Is it possible that Northern Germany becomes a monarchy ? And GO Russia ! Down to the Syndicalist Return ! 1926 never again !

 

[George_VI]

Epilogue VII - 1990-1994
Music (Warning: may contain crap 90s music, viewer discretion advised):

1990
The 1990s began with the Kinnock government attempting to enact some left-wing reforms, the first among which was a bill to provide for partial nationalisation of the railways. It was to end in tears, however, as 31 Labour MPs actually revolted on one of their own government's first major legislative proposals. It seemed the first Labour government was getting off to a rocky start. People had always called the party a "broad church", and it was even broader by the 90s.

Conservative Shadow Chancellor, John Major, opposes the government on railway nationalisation
​

In March 1990 the conflict in the Middle East collapsed. Russia had, since the first wars of the mid-century, lost nearly 100,000 men killed and wounded in fighting in the various Russian Middle Eastern possessions, and hundreds had been killed and hurt in terrorist attacks from Vladivostok to Murmansk in connection with Arab nationalist causes. On the 14th of March 1990 the Russian military governor in Baghdad signed the Treaty of Baghdad, in which Russia recognised the independence of the Second Iraqi Republic, from its northern border with the Turkish State, down to the Gulf and Kuwait. After a few weeks the Second Iraqi Republic became the Third, with the adoption of the Constitution of Iraq.

Saddam Hussein, first Prime Minister of Iraq, poses weapons and troops of the Iraqi Revolutionary Army during celebrations of independence in March 1990
​

In June, it seemed that the decision to create devolved governments for Russia had been the wrong move to make, at least from the Russian side of things. On the 8th of June 1990 the devolved government in Pribaltika held a referendum on independence, which the Russian government condemned as illegal. The Baltic government was threatened with dissolution if the vote went ahead. The Baltic First Minister, Heinrich Mark, replied simply "let them come". The vote went ahead and Russian police moved to dissolve the government by force if necessary. In response, on the 19th of June 1990 the Confederation of Baltic Republics was proclaimed, and seceded from the Russian Empire. This time the Russian government elected not to send in the army, probably aware by now of its international reputation as a brutal oppressor. By the 29th the Russian government had still not acted decisively against this insurrection against its authority.

Emboldened, Ukraine declared the First Ukrainian Republic was declared at Kiev on the 3rd of July 1990. This was followed by the Azeri People's Republic on the 4th, the Republic of Georgia on the 6th, the Armenian State on the 7th, and the Republic of Belarus on the 9th. The Russian government was now unable to act even if it wanted to; huge swathes of its territory had now seceded, often with the support of local police and even military units. On the 11th of July the Republic of Finland declared independence, the State of Turkestan on the 13th, and the Kazakh People's Republic on the 14th. The last to go was the Union State of the Kuban and the Don Steppe, often abbreviated to the Don-Kuban Union, on the 17th. Russia had, finally, collapsed.

At this point the Russian puppet states also broke away. The Turkish State was declared defunct on the 21st of July 1990, and was replaced with the Republic of Anatolia. People in the Bosphorus and Thrace were quick to break off and join this new Republic, while Greece snatched up the Aegean Islands and the Dodecanese. The Persian Empire saw a return of the Shah, and the Shahdom of Iran was proclaimed at Tehran, with Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran in Exile, taking the throne. In central Asia Mongolia revolted, proclaiming a Mongolian Republic, while the Russian-controlled Ma Clique, on the periphery of Uyghuristan, threw out the Russian representatives and joined the State of Turkestan on the 24th of July. Romania broke off relations even earlier than the rest, going its own way on the 19th of July.

Vyacheslav Chornovil, inaugural President of the First Ukrainian Republic

Borat Sagdiyev, first Prime Minister of the Kazakh People's Republic, after a press conference with international journalists in Astana; Sagdiyev commented only that Kazakh independence was "very nice" before concluding the conference
​

In light of Russian failure to act in response to the secession of half their country, the Entente quickly recognised the independence of all seceding states. Poland went as far as to seize that land that had been stolen from them in the south.

In September the British government agreed to a referendum on sovereignty in the Faroe Islands and Iceland, and Neil Kinnock publicly encouraged Canada to do the same for Greenland. The referendum was scheduled for "within a year".

November finally saw Kinnock's government pass the nationalisation of the railways, but by now it was a heavily watered-down version that made few changes. The British railways were brought only into partial public ownership, and the government had little influence in how it was run.

1991
Action was occurring in the South Atlantic in February 1991, as an Argentine attack aircraft buzzed a British destroyer of the South Atlantic Station, a hundred miles off the Falklands. The Argentine government offered no explanation for the incident, and refused to apologise.

There were rumblings from the Balkans in April 1991, as Hungary experienced the "April Days"; two straight weeks of protesting and rioting broke out against the oppressive Hungarian government in major Croatian towns and cities, including Zagreb and Split. The government had responded at first with water cannon and tear gas, but eventually gave way and promised talks with local figures on the possibility of devolved government. Given the consequences of devolution for the late Russian Empire, the Hungarian government were naturally apprehensive.

Croatian nationalist protesters in the capital, Zagreb
​

In June the Kinnock government announced the 1991 Strategic Defence Review. This was the first time that a British government had advocated a reduction in the size of the British armed forces. The 1991 SDR called for a reduction in the number of aircraft carriers in Royal Navy service from 40 to 32, and a focus for the Royal Air Force on fewer, but more advanced, aircraft, instead of the large-scale operations it had usually carried out. That recommendation paved the way for the beginnings of development between Canada and Britain on a new generation fighter aircraft.

HMS Invincible, one of the Royal Navy's "light fleet carriers"
​

August 1991 saw a landmark case in English common law, as the case of R v R reached the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary. Their ruling reversed a decision made in the 18th century that made marital rape legal. Following this case it became possible for a wife to bring charges of rape against her husband.

In November 1991 the Anglo-Italian Declaration was made at Rome, with the British Prime Minister, Neil Kinnock, and the President of the Republic of Italy, Francesco Cossiga, both attending negotiations. The Declaration concerned the status of the city of Trieste, a British Crown Colony since 1945. As a result of the Declaration, Trieste would be handed over to Italy in 2005, sixty years since it had come into British possession. The occasion was marked in Trieste with celebration; although a free and open society, Trieste had never really been content under British rule.

The flag of the Territory of Trieste, in use since 1946
​

1992
In January 1992 the Royal Commission on Public Monuments and Memorials, the authoritative body on such matters established in 1950, unveiled plans for "Lawrence's Column", a new monument similar in design to Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square. The new monument was to be erected in Green Park in London, and would stand at a height of 150 feet.

March 1992 saw the government announce the establishment of the "Cones Hotline", a phone line the public could call to complain to the government about unnecessarily-placed cones on the motorway. It was only hours before Kinnock was lampooned by the press for such a ridiculous policy, but he defended it; the Cones Hotline went live on the 14th of March 1992.

The kind of thing the Cones Hotline was established to deal with; cones on the A45 near Coventry
​

On the 10th of June 1992 the noted hangman, Albert Pierrepoint, passed away at the age of 87 at his home in Southport. Pierrepoint was famous for being the man who had carried out the death sentences on many of those sentenced at the Old Bailey during the post-restoration trials, among them Oswald Mosley and Eric Blair. In 1965 Pierrepoint had lent his support to the abolition of capital punishment in Britain, saying that "I do not believe now that any one of the hundreds of executions I carried out has in any way acted as a deterrent against future murder. Capital punishment, in my view, achieved nothing except revenge".

Pierrepoint pictured in 1976
​

Outrage in the South Atlantic again on the 19th of August 1992, as an Argentine aircraft not only buzzed, but this time first cannon at, HMS Lightfoot. One Royal Navy officer on the bridge was injured by flying glass, and the aircraft had disappeared before the destroyer could react. The Argentine ambassador in London was expelled, and Argentina again refused to offer any apology or compensation.

The Labour government received criticism in November, as it announced the closure of fifteen coal mines in Nottinghamshire, to the anger of many. However, given that left-wing politics had always been somewhat more subdued since the 1930s, the announcement did not impact Labour's polling as much as had been feared.

On the 28th of December a fire broke out in Windsor Castle, which eventually spread, damaging a large part of the buildings. Over £50 million worth of damage was caused, but most of the castle's valuable works of art and books were evacuated by men of the Lifeguards, contracted painters and decorators and the Princess Royal before the fire spread. Her Majesty the Queen announced that the restoration work would be funded entirely out of the Royal Family's own accounts, sparing any public expenditure, a move which reportedly saw a surge in support for the monarch.

Windsor Castle in flames on the night of the 28th of December
​

1993
On the 19th of February 1993 Grimethorpe Colliery was closed. In protest, the famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band stood outside the Treasury Office and played for 24 hours, infuriating government ministers with incessant brass music.

An independence referendum was finally held for Croatia on the 24th of April 1993. The Hungarian government was criticised worldwide for allowing everybody in Hungary to vote, not only those in Croatia, in an attempt to rig the vote. It backfired massively, however. While 97% of Croatians supported independence, up to 70% of Hungarians also supported it. In the end the motion passed with 57% of the national vote, and Croatia became independent.

In a speech in June 1993 the Chinese Prime Minister declared that China would "not be shackled against reclaiming its rightful territories". The British government had previously suggested that it Yunnan, in the west of China, was off-limits. However, in July China launched an armed incursion into the area controlled by the Yunnan Clique, and it quickly blew into an all-out war. Given that, undisturbed by outside powers for decades, Yunnan had been able to build up a not-insubstantial military, the conflict would be hard fought. Unwilling to go to war over Yunnan, the British government was humiliated. In response the British government stepped up defences in the Treaty Cities.

Royal Air Force of China (RAFC) jet aircraft bomb positions along the Yunnan frontier in July 1993
​

More fighting broke out in September 1993, this time in the Middle East, as Kurdish militias rose up in revolt in three countries; Iran, Iraq and Turkey. The Kurds had been denied independence for centuries. Their first revolt was crushed by the Ottomans, and they had been suppressed by Russia, its puppets and successors in the region for years. This time they were determined to win their freedom. Many feared it would become a humanitarian crisis quickly. Saddam Hussein vowed to "destroy" the rebels.

Campaigning for the 1994 General Election began in October, with both parties (and the Liberals) tearing up and down the country trying to win votes.

Theresa May, Conservative candidate for North West Durham, out canvassing; she was unsuccessful

Neil and Glenys Kinnock campaigning in the Midlands

Michael Heseltine at the Conservative manifesto launch, supported by Margaret Thatcher
​

In the end, the result was somewhat anti-climatic. Labour gained one seat, going up to 345. However, the Tories however, gained 21 seats, mostly from the Liberals, taking home 253. The Liberals were decimated, going from 52 to just 30. Other parties stayed at 22.

The 1993 Parliament​

There was more crisis in Asia in December, with reports of oppression and outrage in the Siamese border regions of the Shan, Cambodia and the northern Malay peninsula. The British government warned that it would step in and assume control over those regions if it was necessary to protect civil liberties. Britain was backed up by India, France, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands, all major Entente powers in the region. The Philippines also condemned Siam.

1994
The Yunnan War came to an end finally, in February 1994, with the Qing Kingdom of China assuming control over the whole area. Some 100,000 casualties had been reported.

March saw outrage sparked in Iraq, as it was reported that Saddam Hussein, now President of Iraq, had authorised the use of chemical weapons against Kurdish rebels. The British government totally condemned Hussein, and demanded and end to the conflict so that negotiations could begin. Iran and Turkey, both also fighting with Kurdish insurgents, condemned the moves by Iraq. Britain was also supported in this diplomatic incident by Syria, Arabia and Egypt.

Wary that the General Election was approaching, due in November, Kinnock was loathe to get into any armed interventions. However, on the 3rd of May 1994 Siamese troops violated the border with India, crossing into the Upper Shan region and attacking a village there. On the 5th another violation was reported, and a brief firefight broke out between and Indian infantry company and the Siamese forces. Three Indians were killed, and in response Indian troops were ordered to the border. France began to mobilise its troops in Indochina, and British Parachute Regiment, RAF Regiment and Royal Marines from Malaya were sent to the border.

Indian troops involved in a border incident with Siamese soldiers; their use of older helmet and uniform patterns is due to their belonging to a local reserve unit
​

On the 7th of June 1994 the Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Smith, died suddenly of a heart attack. Smith was a renowned Parliamentarian and economist, and considered a great asset to the Labour Party. Messages of condolence were expressed from both sides of the House, with Michael Heseltine, Leader of the Opposition, saying that he "greatly respected and admired him, as an opponent and as a friend". The position of Chancellor was left vacant for a month, out of respect, until he was succeeded by John Prescott.

John Smith, Chancellor of the Exchequer until his sudden death in June 1994
​

Conflict finally broke out in South East Asia on the 9th of July, as Siamese troops violated the frontier with Britain in Malaya and in Cambodia with the Kingdom of Cambodia (a French dominion-style state) on the same day. Within 24 hours Neil Kinnock had announced a state of war between Siam and the Entente in the face of "intolerable breaches of sovereignty and unashamed abuses of human rights", although no formal declaration of war was issued.

A Sikh Indian Army officer conferring with American and Dutch advisors on the frontier with Siam shortly after the outbreak of fighting
​

On the 11th of August 1994 the famous actor Peter Cushing, known as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars and the titular role in Jinnah, passed away at his home at the age of 81.

Neil Kinnock, on the 30th of October, tendered his surprise resignation to Her Majesty the Queen, citing declining health. Inside sources at No 10 suggested that not even the Cabinet had been briefed on Kinnock's departure, and the nation was left stunned. He named John Prescott, Chancellor since June, as his chosen successor, and indeed Prescott beat Tony Blair at the leadership contest in November with 64% of the vote. The cantankerous Northerner, MP for Hull East since 1970, with his bullish and headstrong attitude, seemed to strike a chord with the party's voter base.

The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. John Prescott MP, PC​

 

[Nuada Airgetlám]

Labour still doing well as they disentangle themselves from the unions.

 

[stnylan]

I had forgotten itsy bitsy yellow polkadot .... I think that may qualify as some sort of cruel and unusual music

Ah John Prescott - I have always suspected he might be one of the great PMs we've never had.

 

[George_VI]

I had forgotten itsy bitsy yellow polkadot .... I think that may qualify as some sort of cruel and unusual music

I imagine it's included on Guantanamo Bay's psychological torture playlist.

 

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Prime Minister Two Shags? God save us...

 

[Nikolai]

So many to me unknown policians beating well known people.

 

[Future_Cyborg64]

Questions, how far will this go into the future and what do you plan on doing after this? Also after Waking the Tiger comes I plan to do a US AAR in KR, do you have any tips because I really like the way you do it, and I want to similar to the way you do it.