[War] UK 2013 take 2

[Pat B]

eader: Prime Minister Dennis Brandt
Country: United Kingdon
Ruling Party/Coalition: Conservative

Political Landscape

In September 2007 Tony Blair kept his promise to step down and as
expected Gordon Brown was selected as Labour Party leader and Prime
Minister.  I

n 2009 Elections were called and in a surprise showing brought on by
anger at the Labor government and the growing cash for honors scandal
which had so far not touched the senior officials of Blair's cabinet,
though the indictment and trial in the Old Bailey of
several top aides has severely damaged the reputation of the former
Teflon PM, the Liberal Democrats won their first majority in house of
Commons.

Sir Menzies Campbell took to the Prime Ministerial reigns quite
well, though rumors of his forgetfulness were becoming stronger, which
included several instances of forgetting dignitaries' names including US
President Bill Richardson.

It was soon announced he was suffering from Alzheimer's and he resigned
the Prime minister ship in 2010, the recession  hit hard  and an
increase in anti EU and Anti immigrant feelings  resulted in a
discouraging upsurge in both the United Kingdom Independence party and
the British National Party, with the UKIP, after coming back from near 
extinction, winning a seat in Parliament.

The years between 2010 and 2013 were chaotic with the UK having no less
then 3 elections and a total of 4 prime ministers, which lead some
comedians to remark the UK had taken government lessons from the
Italians.  Labor's changes under the Blair leadership were swiftly back
swept, including an upsurge  in trade unionism and the group Militant
Tendencies.  The leftward turn  of Labor and the growth of a grass roots
Conservative movement within the Conservative party taking up the banner
of Thatcherisim, with a call for a resurgence in British Pride, also
including Scotland, Wales and  Northern Ireland in the desire for a new
agenda for the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.


Economy:

The Campbell administration was called a "disaster for business" by the
Times of London.  The Tax policies of the Liberal Democrats which
included several "windfall taxes" in addition to an increase in personal
income taxes and fees to offset an increase in social spending and a
mandated percentage of Council homes stifled real estate and homebuilding.

New Jobs also took a hit with the Campbell tax reforms and the recession
of 2010-2011 resulting in an unemployment surge to around 20% in the
outlying countries.


Defence

One Ministry to not see an increase in funding was the Ministry of
Defence.  The military's budget was the lowest in decades, the aggrate
troop loss was over 10,000 members of the combat arms branches.  Money
for training has been harder to come by and soldier's pay has not kept
up with inflation, which, coupled with a severe lowering of recruiting
standards, resulted in several Members of Service resorting to criminal
acts to make more money which includes several soldiers robbing a bank
with their duty weapons, or even worse selling advanced weaponry to
criminal elemants including in one case an anti tank gun.

  In 2011 during the chaos of the collapse of the government of
Campbell's successor a Commons committee chaired by Thomas Brandt warned
of an impending crisis in the Military and called the current Royal
Military Service a Paper tiger, and called the size of the Royal Navy a
disgrace and an insult to the Crown.

  The Royal Navy decreased in size to a modern frigate navy and has been
unable to do much more then try to project a force size.  Pirates began
to pick off British flagged shipping, and cruise ships with near impunity.

Social Issues

Crime is on an increase especially with the increase in unemployment 
which resulted in a 10% jump in burglaries and robberies, in addition to 
theft.

Several surprising decisions to prosecute homeowners for defending their 
homes has resulted in a bit of a siege mentality which includes ignoring 
several gun laws and more purchases on the black market.

Hate crimes are on the rise and there have been several well publicized 
assaults, and a strong anti immigration sentiment that has seeped 
through to everyday life, protests are becoming more public and a series 
of riots in 2010-2011 resulted in massive loss of life and damage in the 
millions of pounds.

The Blair anti terror proposals were supposed to be on the way out but 
in the chaos had been nearly forgotten and some had been tightened to a 
point where Britan had become more of a police state.

Health

Alcoholism has become a rampant public health issue with 
hospitalizations for alcohol poisoning increasing rapidly and taxing an 
already overworked National Health Service facilities.

Alcohol treatment and restrictive taxes has done nothing but increase 
bootlegging from Ireland and illegal homebrewing.


Foreign Relations

The schizophrenic instances of the UK government has damaged UK/US 
relations with each different government having a different agenda, 
including one attempted to recall ambassadors from the US over political 
differences including protests over the treatment of a British subject 
who had been arrested in Albuquerque New Mexico for DUI and assault on 
an officer.

While relations between the two countries have not been destroyed they 
have been strained by the shifts in policy.