[War] UK 2013 take 2

[Ian Martell]

So Pat, in 2013 are they still singing God Save the Queen or is it the King 
now? Not looking for an edit but just curious.

>From: Pat B <pbuck11 at aol.com>
>Reply-To: war at esteroic.com
>To: war at esteroic.com
>Subject: [War] UK 2013 take 2
>Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2007 17:38:12 -0700
>
>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.
>
>
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